Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the leadership behaviors demonstrated by elementary school principals whose schools have successfully exited Program Improvement under No Child Left Behind by comparing them with the principals' leadership behaviors of those schools that have not exited. Methodology. The study is descriptive and used ex post facto design. Using September 2005 data from the California Department of Education on four Southern California counties, six teacher surveys from each of forty-five schools exiting Program Improvement and a stratified equal size sample from those remaining in Program Improvement were sent. The instrument was a thirty-item, five-point Likert scale leadership behavior survey with an open-ended response item. Data from both groups were analyzed using scientific research methods to determine the significant differences between the groups. Findings. Examination of quantitative and qualitative data yielded significant differences between the demonstration of behaviors of principals who have led their schools out of Program Improvement and those that remain in Program Improvement, as perceived by teachers. This significant difference was verified with the highest levels of demonstration of behaviors and confirmed in the open-ended responses. Conclusions. The study data support the conclusions that principals who have exited Program Improvement display specific behaviors like establishing strong lines of communication, establishing clear goals, and having quality contact and interaction with teachers and students at a high level. The principals of these schools have strong, consistent ideals in education with clearly articulated goals and support all stakeholders through materials and knowledge articulation. Additionally, they are communication facilitators for and with all stakeholders. Recommendations. School Districts must provide targeted training to principals focusing on the principal behaviors this study identified as needed to exit Program Improvement. Course work at the University level should include leadership practicum opportunities to insure a higher demonstration capability of these identified behaviors for principals. Additionally, principals must be willing to evaluate their own level of behavior to ascertain areas of growth, and they must be willing to listen to teachers. Further, serious consideration of principal experience must be given when hiring or placing principals at Program Improvement schools.