Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of the study was to identify the leadership practices and behaviors most important and most commonly used by the selected exemplary superintendents to influence principals to lead school-based improvement as perceived by superintendents and principals. Methodology. Descriptive and ex post facto research was used in this study. An expert panel selected seventeen exemplary superintendents using a purposive sample. One principal from each of the school districts where the selected superintendents worked was randomly selected to participate. Superintendents and principals were surveyed anonymously using the Leadership Practice Inventory (Kouzes and Posner 1997) to measure perceptions of superintendent leadership practices. A frequency distribution computation of the mean, standard deviation, and an independent t-test measured for significant difference. Findings. Exemplary superintendents and their principals agreed that all five leadership practices are important. The leadership practices that superintendents and principals perceived as most commonly used and most important were modeling the way and enabling others to act. Only two of the thirty specific behaviors showed a significant difference between superintendents and principals. Conclusions. The exemplary superintendents and their principals agreed that a variety of leadership practices is needed to influence principals to improve schools. Exemplary superintendents modeled what they thought important. Superintendents will enable principals to lead by developing cooperative relationships. Recommendations for research. (1) study California's Academic Performance Index and superintendent leadership practices; (2) observe the top five exemplary superintendents' use of leadership behaviors; (3) study the exemplary superintendents' use of enabling others to act; (4) interview principals about the specific behaviors that superintendents model; (5) study superintendents based on length of time working with their principals; (6) measure teacher perceptions of the superintendent's leadership practices; and (7) study the exemplary superintendents who reflect the diversity of California students. Implications for action. (1) Give superintendents feedback on their use of the five leadership practices. (2) Encourage exemplary superintendents to serve as mentors to new superintendents. (3) Train superintendents in the leadership practices. (4) Use the leadership practices for professional development including doctoral programs. (5) Publish articles on the effective leadership practices of exemplary superintendents. (6) Use the leadership behaviors identified in this study as criteria for hiring superintendents. (7) Expect superintendents to develop cooperative relationships.