Research suggests discrepancies between principals of color and White principals in their motivations and reflections on racism and how it shapes their philosophies, practice, and persistence in leading schools in historically underserved urban communities. Several scholars have discussed the pivotal role of early racial identity experiences in the beliefs and practices for Black and Latinx school leaders (Douglas, Wilson, and Nganga, 2014; Hernandez, Murakami, and Cerecer, 2014; Lomotey, 1989; Wilson, 2016). Scholars such as Gooden and O’Doherty (2015), Hines (2015), Theoharis and Haddix (2011), and Toure and Thompson-Dorsey (2018) have examined how White principals reflect on concepts of race in their work. These researchers call for further study, specifically on how White leaders’ reflection on race manifests in their beliefs and day to day practices. This serves as the impetus for this dissertation, which is framed by two research questions: 1. Why do some White principals choose to lead schools that serve historically underserved communities? What, if any, reflections on early racial experiences are common among these leaders? 2. How do the motivations and reflections on early racial experiences of White principals who chose to lead in historically underserved communities inform their leadership philosophy and play out in their practices? This study examines the role of racial literacy in the principal seat, specifically as White administrators attempt to enact leadership in low-income urban school settings that serve a majority of students of color. Using a significant body of literature as well as results from a qualitative study, it describes the journey of four White New York City charter school principals as they reflect on early racial experiences and what brought them to the principal seat. The study employs Toure and Thompson-Dorsey’s (2018) theories around the White racial frame in leadership and Khalifa’s (2018) culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL) framework to code leadership behaviors observed on site. The post-visit debrief allows insights into how the principals saw their work and the degree to which they centered racial equity in their beliefs and practice. The paper then examines the impact of recollections on racial experiences and motivations on White leader beliefs and practices via a racial autobiography and subsequent interview. It classifies leaders’ racial autobiography and interview data according to Helm’s (1995) White racial identity model. The study concludes by theorizing how its findings can be used to better understand the intersection between principals’ racial identity and practice. This study is significant because it draws close connections between Helm’s White racial identity model (1995) and Khalifa’s (2018) theories on culturally responsive school leadership. This can support future research that seeks to connect racial mindsets to practice. The results of this work can also inform more rigorous hiring practices so that districts and networks unearth race neutral mindsets in candidates. Otherwise, it is likely that we will see a continuation of the colorblind approach that has held back so many promising young students of color.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experience of white principals in understanding their white identity, privilege, and power as they worked to implement socially-just and culturally proficient schools. The findings offer insights into the following questions: 1) How do white school leaders view white identity and the impact, if any, it has on their leadership? 2) How do white school leaders relate to students of color, their parents, and the community? 3) In what ways do white school leaders engage in race talk and address issues of white identity, privilege, and power? 4) What challenges do white school leaders experience as they attempt to end racism in their schools? The study was set in a mostly white suburban school district in the Pacific Northwest. It involved three male and two female white principals who were previously engaged in equity training. Primary data sources included two individual interviews and two focus group sessions which were audiotaped and transcribed. Data analysis involved several coding cycles to identify themes related to the research questions. The analyses indicated the white principals engaged in a number of actions which demonstrated leadership focused on becoming culturally proficient. The knowledge and understanding principals gained in the equity training contributed to their understanding of white privilege and white identity. Their ability to name this understanding while interacting with parents and students of color helped to build relationships and created allies in their work. Due to their perceived lack of skill and knowledge related to implementing equity efforts around cultural competence, principals shared a hesitancy to lead staff into meaningful race talk and other work around white identity, privilege, and power. Challenges also arose as principals worked to manage competing district initiatives, limited staff training time, and the need for support. / Graduation date: 2013