Working Toward Educational Justice at State and District Levels: Perspectives of Educational Leaders

• In Event: Communities-of-Color-Based Research for Racially Just Transformation in a State's Public Education System

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the views of current education leaders on issues of educational justice. We focus on leaders who have specific responsibilities for advancing race and equity work in their districts, agencies, professional associations and non-profit organizations, and we actively recruited leaders of color as study participants. We sought to understand the ways (if any) district, state and regional organizations have focused on reducing inequities, what structural inequities they are actively seeking to address, and opportunities that may exist for the redesign of educational systems and decision-making processes. This research is driven by the fact that non-dominant communities have lacked authentic opportunities to describe and influence the types of investments and policies they believe are most needed to address educational justice in our state.

Theoretical Perspectives

This study examines the perspectives of educational leaders through a critical and social justice lens, recognizing that organizational and political structures within states and districts are often resistant to equitable policies and practices, and that institutional racism and white privilege play out in various settings (Horsford, Scott & Anderson, 2019; Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995). We draw on social justice leadership (Theoharis, 2007), critical race theory (CRT) (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995), and within CRT, critical policy analysis (Horsford, Scott & Anderson, 2019).

Methods and Data Sources

Qualitative methods provide the basis for our inquiry (Merriam, 2009). We rely primarily on confidential, semi-structured interviews. We conducted interviews with 34 individuals over a five-month period in 2020-21 via Zoom. More than half (59%) of those interviewed were people of color or from Indigenous backgrounds and they represented more than 20 different organizations. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed thematically to establish themes and patterns which formed the basis for our study findings and recommendations.

Findings

Five challenges are discussed in this paper: 1) structural inequities in resources and funding, 2) lack of will to address racism, 3) burdens borne by leaders of color, 4) challenges faced by state level organizations in leading for educational justice, and 5) the need to reimagine the education system to prioritize children and families. Recommendations, as articulated by study participants, include prioritizing and addressing inequities at all levels of the system, engaging in critical policy analysis to dismantle what doesn’t work and act to change it, elevating student voice in authentic ways and including students in decision-making, and creating a just and equitable child and family centered education.

Significance

The current education system does not work well for many students and their families, especially for families of color and Indigenous families. This study provides direction as to where we might begin to address educational injustice – by centering the work around children and families and building anti-racist principles into all aspects of education policymaking.

Authors

• Ana M. Elfers, University of Washington

• Margaret L. Plecki, University of Washington