The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the implementation phase of the DuFour model of professional learning communities (PLCs) and students' achievement. A survey was emailed via Qualtrics to elementary principals throughout the Minnesota Elementary Principals' Association's (MESPA) central, northern, northeast, west, southwest, and southeast divisions asking principals to self-report their school's implementation phase of the DuFour model of PLCs. Each principal's survey response was aligned with the school's students' achievement results as measured by the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA). A Pearson r analysis was completed to determine if a relationship existed between the school's implementation of DuFour's model of PLCs and MCA variables. There was no significant (p < 0.05) relationship between the implementation phase of the DuFour model of professional learning communities and third-grade MCA math proficiency achievement or third-grade MCA reading proficiency achievement in rural elementary schools. There was a significant (p < 0.05) and negative relationship between the implementation phase of the DuFour model of professional learning communities and fifth-grade science proficiency achievement in rural elementary schools. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]