The study investigated factors that influence the academic performance of students in the community and government built secondary schools in Mbeya municipality. The study, specifically assessed the adequacy of school inputs, examined the existing learning process in schools, compared students’ academic performance in form II and IV national examination results in 2006 - 2008 and explored peoples’ perceptions on community built secondary schools. This study adopted a cross-sectional survey method; teachers were selected randomly, while education administrators and community respondents were purposely selected. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions were used to summarize the information obtained from respondents in the studied schools. Findings of this study showed that there were not enough teaching and learning materials, teaching and learning processes were poor especially in the community built secondary schools. Also, availability of facilities in the schools did not match with number of students. Teaching was dominated with a mixture of English with Kiswahili. The study findings showed that academic performances of community built secondary schools were poorer than government built secondary schools in Form II and IV national examinations from 2006 to 2008. This study recommends that the government should increase number of teachers; provide teaching and learning materials such as textbooks, laboratories, classrooms, provide lunch to students staying far away from schools; introduce bonus schemes for teachers serving in difficult environment so as to facilitate them work for longer hours . Other education stakeholders such as parents, NGOs and local communities in collaboration with the government should build hostels and dormitories around the community built secondary schools for retention of students. People in Tanzania society should have positive perceptions on community built secondary schools so as to eliminate some problems like decreased enrollment of pupils, thus increase access in education and reduce number of street children in the society.