Reimagining Radical Community Engagement through Culturally Responsive School Leadership: A Case Study of Award-Winning Principals

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Abstract

This paper examines K-12 school principals as community leaders, identifying practices and exploring future possibilities for enhancing family and community engagement. Insights were collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 recent NASSP Principal Award winners. Drawing on the tenet of engaging students, parents, and Indigenous contexts from Muhammad Khalifa’s (2018) Culturally Responsive School Leadership framework, this approach emphasizes the significance of family participation and providing educational and social opportunities for all students. Principal leaders underlined the importance of identifying barriers to inclusion, advocating for the community's goals, and empowering individuals through providing leadership opportunities. This paper provides current and future principal leaders with strategies to promote inclusive schools where students and families from diverse communities feel valued and supported.

Authors

• Brian C. Vedder, University of Denver

• Amanda B Roberts, University of Denver

• Jayson W. Richardson, College of William & Mary

• Erin Anderson, University of Denver

• William L. Sterrett, Baylor University