Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of the principals and teachers at three high schools that exited PI and three high schools that remain in PI about the extent to which the principal demonstrated Marzano et al.'s 21 leadership behaviors and which behaviors they felt were important to improving student academic achievement. Methodology. The respondents in this study were principals and teachers at three comprehensive high schools which exited PI and three comprehensive high schools which remain in PI. The subjects were presented with a 42-question Likert scale survey related to Marzano et al.'s 21 leadership behaviors. Data were analyzed using a frequency distribution and t-test to determine significance. Findings. The study identified five key findings. They are as follows: (a) Principals whose schools exited PI demonstrate more of Marzano et al.'s leadership behaviors and at greater rates; (b) principals and teachers whose schools exited PI did not differ significantly in the number of leadership behaviors which they believed were important to student achievement; (c) principals whose schools exited PI demonstrate the behaviors which Marzano et al. state are important to improving student achievement at a greater rate of frequency; (d) principals and teachers whose schools exited PI and principals whose schools remain in PI demonstrate the same number of behaviors which are listed by Marzano et al. as important to first-order change; (e) principals whose schools exited PI demonstrate leadership behaviors which Marzano et al. relate to second-order change at much greater rates. Conclusions. The study concluded that principals of comprehensive high schools that exited PI demonstrated specific leadership behaviors at a greater rate than their counterparts. In addition, specific leadership behaviors were demonstrated by principals whose schools exited PI. Recommendations. Further research is being advised: (a) replicate the study in a larger population or with elementary schools to determine similarities in findings, (b) additional study of the importance of first-order and second-order change behaviors and their implication for exiting PI, and(c) focus on specific actions principals whose schools exited PI took in each area to create a tool box of strategies.