The impact of leadership involvement in enhancing high school climate and reducing bullying: An exploratory study

Bullying in secondary schools is a serious concern for educators and parents. The relationship between bullying and school climate has been identified and strategies to improve school climate are available. The importance of leadership in shaping school climate has been well documented. This exploratory study explores the role of leadership in implementing an approach to school climate change (positive behavior intervention and supports) in comprehensive Southwestern high schools participating in a federal school safety grant. Leadership involvement in the change process appears to be a key component leading to student-reported behavior change. Our findings suggest that although changes in school climate should lead to changes in bullying behaviors, the opposite is the case. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.