As the practice of social justice in traditional schools becomes embedded in the discourse of educational settings (Theoharis, 2007), school leaders are increasingly being required to practice social justice leadership by identifying and initiating practices that engage students from diverse and under-served backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to identify the leadership practices of six former and current principals who have led National ESEA Distinguished Schools (formerly National Title I Distinguished Schools) in the United States. These principals work with diverse student populations that typically struggle to make academic gains and meet state standards. As such, this study sought to delve into the leadership practices of Title I principals. By understanding the leadership practices in which these principals engaged, and how consistent these practices are with the principles of social justice, a model of social justice leadership can be postulated for consideration. A qualitative research methodology, in-depth phenomenological interviews (Seidman, 2013) was used. Open-ended questions were posed during the semi-structured interviews of the principals. The findings in this study provide details on what actions six Title I principals from districts across the United States took to lead their schools to National ESEA Distinguished School status. These social justice leaders address the social structures of oppression, privilege, and opportunity that can deprive marginalized student groups from access to educational opportunity. Principals reported that the actions they took to ensure equity and fairness were around creating safe and orderly learning environments, professional learning communities, and professional development for staff. / Doctor of Education / This study will provide insight into the leadership practices of Title I principals and how they successfully led Title I schools and gained national recognition. The National Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Distinguished Schools (formerly National Title I Distinguished Schools) Programs recognizes schools for their growth in student academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify the leadership practices of these principals and to understand how consistent these practices are with the principles of social justice leadership. The target population of the study was principals from six Title I schools who obtained National Distinguished ESEA School status. These principals work with diverse student populations that typically struggle to make academic gains and meet state standards. Each principal participated in a 60-minute, semi-structured interview. The purpose of the interview was to uncover and encapsulate a person's experience (Seidman, 2013). The analysis of the experiences of these leaders provided a lens that other school leaders might consider to improve their leadership practice. The data analysis indicated that these social justice leaders address the social structures of oppression, privilege, and opportunity that can deprive marginalized student groups of access to educational opportunity. Principals reported that the actions they took to ensure equity and fairness were around creating safe and orderly learning environments, professional learning communities, and professional development for staff. Findings from the study indicated more research is needed on the practices of social justice leadership.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/97508 |
| Date | 30 March 2020 |
| Creators | Mitchell, Amielia S. |
| Contributors | Counselor Education, Glenn, William Joseph, Alexander, Michael D., Mallory, Walter D., Baldanza, Marcia Anne |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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