The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between specific leadership behaviors and student achievement in Illinois high schools excluding those within the Chicago Public School System. The leadership behaviors examined in this study include setting direction, developing people, redesigning the organization, and improving the instructional program using the Educational Leadership Survey originally designed by Kenneth Leithwood. The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) was the tool used to measure student achievement for 2017, 2018, and 2019. The researcher selected a quantitative approach and correlational design to examine the data. The data utilized in this study was comprised of perceptual responses from Illinois high school principals from public and charter schools. The data analysis revealed correlations between the leadership behaviors of the high school principals and the SAT scores. All of the identified correlations were small and there were both significant and nonsignificant correlations. The findings confirmed that the responding principals are exhibiting the identified leadership behaviors. Demonstrating high expectations for teachers' work with students, one of the items that comprised the leadership construct of setting direction had the greatest number of correlations during the 2017, 2018, and 2019 school years. Encouraging collaborative work among staff which was one of the items that comprised the construct of redesigning the organization with a large number of correlations. Based on the study's findings, it was clear that the principal respondents are practicing the leadership behavior of setting direction, but with little impact on student achievement. There were several items that comprise the leadership behavior of developing people that did have small significant correlations with student achievement. Principals are exhibiting leadership behaviors of redesigning the organization, however, there was no correlation with student achievement. The leadership behavior of improving the instructional program had multiple correlations with the SAT scores. Finally, when combining all the leadership behaviors that were examined in this study, there was a small significant correlation with student achievement in 2017. In summary, the Illinois high school principal respondents reported they are displaying these leadership behaviors (setting direction, developing people, redesigning the organization and improving the instructional program), but the SAT scores are not showing a moderate or strong relationship. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]