Equity-Focused Leadership for Transformative Instructional Practices
Open Access DepositedEquity-Focused Leadership for Transformative Instructional Practices This qualitative interpretive study explores the leadership experiences and strategies of twelve high school principals operating within high-poverty suburban and urban school districts in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It aims to investigate and describe how principals who serve schools impacted by poverty conceptualize equity-focused, transformative leadership practices, if at all. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, the research highlights these leaders’ unique challenges, including systemic barriers related to resource allocation, staffing, and community engagement. The data revealed four themes: (1) A Leader’s Philosophy and Beliefs about Equity, (2) Culturally Responsive and Transformative Leadership Practices, (3) Leadership Practices that Promote Student Agency, and (4) Leadership that Prioritizes Mental Health. The data contributed to and advanced the ongoing conversation about diversity and equity in education by documenting the experiences of principals, highlighting systemic practices, advocating for systemic change, and promoting practices that support marginalized students. It serves as a current and vital resource for educators and policymakers seeking to navigate the complexities of the current anti-diversity climate in the United States. It challenges the status quo and provides a leadership model that includes consistently addressing and initiating conversations about race and White supremacy ideals and how they impact students, teachers, as well as the teaching and learning environment. While the study aligned with the current theories, it also extended beyond the existing literature on leadership theory and equity-focused, transformative leadership, as well as culturally responsive leadership. It considered the impacts of the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the current legislative climate concerning the discussion of education and educational equity.
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Fairclough_gwu_0075A_17290.pdf | 2025-04-16 | Open Access |
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