In successful programs for marginal youth, teachers extend their role and create bonds with their students. In the extended role, teachers interact with students in a more personal way, provide learning experiences that promote competence and success, and establish and maintain high but realistic expectations. This role requires the development of a culture in which the teacher's beliefs, values, and behaviors more closely resemble those of a professional. These hypotheses were tested in a field study of the teacher culture of four successful dropout prevention programs and involved 150 high school students and 14 teachers. In particular, the nature of student-teacher relationships, the meaning of school and schoolwork, use of time and space, decision-making, and power were investigated. Analyses of the data revealed that a common teacher culture existed among the four programs. Teachers were accorded the power to control curriculum, and had complete control over teaching methods. Curriculum content was perceived as less important than personal development, but mastery of curriculum content was viewed as a means to promote success and to give students feelings of self worth. Students were treated as individuals, both academically and personally: the extended role of the teacher allowed students and teachers to get to know each other as people. Although all of the programs had a strong leader, decisions were frequently made as a group. And finally, the teachers, who maintained collegial relationships among themselves, were relatively independent of administrative constraints. A five-page bibliography concludes the document. (KH)