You Can't Make It on Your Own: Supporting Black School Leaders Through Intentional Community-Building

• In Event: Examining and Improving Conditions for Black Educators

Abstract

Purpose: Understand how a transformative induction program works to support Black site leaders and counteract racial inequity in a large, urban, West Coast school district.

Theoretical Framework: Effective leadership is one of five essential supports for successful schools (Bryk et al, 2010), and students of all races do better in schools with Black leaders (Bartanen & Grissom, 2021). Yet, Black site leader turnover is higher than that of other races. When we look at the social cognitive factors that impact administrator career decisions (Fairley-Ripple et al, 2012), race is described as a personal characteristic that may impact leader choices about entering, staying with, and leaving administrative roles. We believe that schools are districts are racialized organizations and that race impacts both administrator behaviors and their responses to environmental conditions.

Methods: The study primarily uses data from semi-structured interviews conducted virtually with 20 Black principals and assistant principals from a large West Coast urban district. The interviews explored the reasons Black educators moved into, stayed with and left their site leadership roles. After the audio files were professionally transcribed, they were analyzed using codes developed an abductive approach (Deterding & Waters, 2021) with Dedoose software.

Data sources: The primary data sources were word-for-word transcripts from audio-recorded semi-structured interviews (N=20). Half of the participants were principals (n=10), and the other half were assistant principals (n=10). Nine male participants and 11 female participants were interviewed. Of those who began their tenure as a school district site leader, 11 remained in the same position or moved to a higher role within the school or district (e.g. assistant principal to principal). On the other hand, nine since have left the district entirely. Following the interviews, we observed the yearlong induction program for new assistant principals. Our field notes were analyzed using a priori codes based on the interview findings.

Findings: Based on the interview data, we found that the collaborative and practical nature of the induction and training program has been successful in supporting Black leaders in the district through 1) the building of professional networks, 2) the provision of an experienced coach and 3) practical, on-the-job training. First, the program allows participants to form relationships with their peers from across the district. When challenges arise, they consult one another and offer support. In addition, each participant is assigned a coach. This more experienced school leader from the district can serve as a sounding board, thought partner and more knowledgeable other to scaffold learning and decision-making for school leaders. Third, new leaders recounted the ways in which the induction program content and their coaches helped them to apply the concepts and theories covered in their credentialing program. Almost all agreed this practical, on-the-job training was fare more helpful than the classroom teaching they received. When we observed the new assistant principal training program, we noted the numerous ways in which it intentionally sought to build community and foster a sense of belonging among the participants. This proved crucial for all three aspects of the program

Author

• Crystal A. Moore, Education Trust - West
  Presenting Author