Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe how successful Title I elementary school principals in California prioritize by importance to school success, the 12 literature-based task, relationship, and change dimensions of principal behaviors and which strategies or methods did successful Title I elementary school principals identify and explain as their strategies or methods for employing the behaviors they perceive as most important to the success of their schools. In addition, this study identifies, describes, and explains the extent to which successful Title I principals perceive they perform the 25 principal behaviors in the Educational Leadership Framework. Methodology: This was a descriptive case study employing mixed methods to describe the behaviors of successful Title I elementary principals in California. The target population was 8 successful Title I elementary principals in 2011 with more than 5 years of experience as a Title I principal and a recommendation from a panel of experts in the field of education. The quantitative data were collected with a survey. The qualitative data followed with interviews of the successful Title I elementary principals explaining their strategies for accomplishing their successful behaviors. Findings: The analysis yielded dimensions of behavior and strategies that the study participants considered more important than others. The findings contained behaviors of the Educational Leadership Framework performed to a greater extent than other behaviors, as perceived by the study participants. Conclusion: The study concluded that successful Title I elementary principals used vision and focus, were present and available, put people first, were people of action, protected the instructional time, and showed passion for their work. Recommendations: The recommendations for further study include replicating the study with middle or high school Title I principals, conducting the study with non-Title I elementary principals, using the behaviors of the Educational Leadership Framework to compare to current principal evaluations, conduct a study comparing the hierarchical taxonomy in the business sector to the findings of this study, and conduct a study comparing the results of this study with the findings from Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005).