Principal Race and Perceptions of Influence Over the Curriculum

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: How Principal Leadership Practices Influence Teacher Performance

Abstract

This study explores how principals perceive their influence on curriculum development, focusing on variations by their racialized identities and the racial composition of their staff. Using Ray’s (2019) Theory of Racialized Organizations, we conduct ordinal logistic regression with 2017–18 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) data. We examine how racialized identity, school factors, and personal characteristics shape principals’ experiences. Latinx principals report higher perceived influence than White peers, while Black principals report lower. School locale and level influence these patterns. A decrease in White teachers correlates with increased influence among some Black principals. Findings show perceptions of curriculum influence are shaped by structural and relational dynamics linked to racialized identities.

Authors

• Thomas Michael Drake, University of Michigan

• Sharon Jessica, University of Michigan

• Larasati Dwibuana Ayuningtyas, University of Michigan