Cultivating Brave Space: How Networks Fortify School Leaders to Ensure Equitable Access for Black Youth

• In Event: Listening to and Advocating for Students: Recentering Equitable Leadership

Abstract

This study utilized participatory action research (PAR) to determine how school leaders made decisions to address the persistent academic opportunity gap among Black students and their peers. Four middle schools leaders participated in an equity-centered professional learning community (EC-PLC), held over three cycles of inquiry (Fall 2020-Fall 2021). Findings indicate that transformative, culturally responsive leaders need a brave space with outside facilitation to authentically reflect on their power and privilege. This brave space would allow leaders to build racial literacy, take risks, make sustainable change, and gain confidence in their ability. A key component of this study was reimagining new ways of conducting school leadership inquiry by cultivating partnerships through network improvement communities engaging families as authentic partners.

Author

• Myra Quadros Meis, San Francisco Unified School District