The stakes for teacher effectiveness are continued to be refined and changed to facilitate the interminable growth. The efficacious traits that teachers need to have for African American students to have high levels of success in the classroom were investigated. The results were determined by conducting an experimental survey at Shepton High School in Plano, Texas. There were also a group of master teachers in Plano ISD given the survey. The results listed the traits the students felt were the 11 most needed traits for them to succeed in the classroom. The top five traits were the following: (a) high expectations for the African American student; (b) cares about the African American student; (c) makes learning fun; (d) teacher is calm, clear, and understandable; (e) discipline is handled between the teacher and student. The African American male and female students agreed on the significance of each trait. The master teachers and students' responses were also in agreement on the traits most needed for African American students to achieve in the classroom. There were only three traits that yielded a moderate difference of opinion between the teachers and students.