The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the principal's leadership behavior and students' disciplinary infractions, with “disciplinary infractions” defined as suspensions and expulsions. The first research question focused on the differences in the means of the two independent variables across three groups of disciplinary infraction schools and the second question examined whether these variables were related to the dependent measure of disciplinary infractions after school characteristics were controlled for. The independent measures of interests were teachers' perceptions of the existence of organizational learning conditions and teachers' perceptions of the principal's practicing transformational leadership behaviors in their schools.

The study utilized data collected from teachers in a sample of six middle schools and one kindergarten through eighth grade school in an inner-city school district in the Northeastern United States. The analysis of the data was done using means, standard deviations, ANOVA, and multiple regression analyses.

The ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences on the collaboration and vision dimension of transformational leadership, and on the organizational learning dimensions of shared and monitored mission, taking initiatives, and professional development. The regression analysis showed that the leadership components of trusting and collaborative climate, and symbolizing professional practice and individualized support and the organizational learning components of taking initiatives and trusting and collaborative climate were related to disciplinary infractions after controlling for school characteristics.