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Culturally responsive principal leadership and its influence on teachers in urban settings.

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Culturally responsive principal leadership and its influence on teachers in urban settings.

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Content Culturally Responsive Principal Leadership and its influence on Teachers in Urban
Settings.
by
Latora Baldridge
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
May 2023
© Copyright by Latora Baldridge 2023
All Rights Reserved
Figures title:
The Committee for Latora Baldridge certifies the approval of this Dissertation
Dr. David Cash, Chair
Dr. Franklin, Committee Member
Dr. Kimberly Hirabayashi, Committee Member
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2023
2
Abstract
This study applies culturally responsive leadership and culturally responsive teaching pedagogy
(Gay, 2010; Khalifa et al., 2016) to examine the influence that culturally responsive leadership
has on teachers from the perception of the teacher. The study indicates a need for culturally
responsive leadership and teaching practices to increase the achievement of students of color
(Fraise & Brooks, 2015). In Oakland, CA, black and brown students are disproportionately
disadvantaged academically. There is evidence of one of the highest racial achievement gaps
between the city's black and white students at 4.4-grade levels (Gormley, 2020). This study
asserts that when schools have culturally responsive principal leadership, students are exposed to
high-quality, culturally responsive teaching and learning, which contributes to reducing the racial
achievement gap (Gray et al., 2018). This study aims to analyze the specific culturally responsive
leadership practices from the teachers' perspective and what principal actions and mindsets
influence teachers' ability to implement culturally responsive practices in the classroom.
The participants of this study are Teachers of record who work at a school with a shared vision
statement that asserts that the school implements culturally responsive practices.
The findings of this study indicate three themes
1. Culturally responsive principals lead by example,
2. Culturally responsive principals are visionaries,
3. Culturally responsive principals show empathy and are responsive.
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Dedication
To my daughters, Alanna and Destiney, this work is to show you that you can do anything and
everything with faith in God, self-discipline, and an unwavering belief in your divine
womanhood. You are unstoppable.
To my husband, Dex, thank you for your endless love and support, I would not have done this
without you to lean on. Thank you for loving me wholly and completely.
To my sons, Dexter, Lexington and Xion, I am inspired and motivated to create a school system
in which beautiful black kings like each of you can thrive in. Always remember you are
beautifully and divinely created young kings.
I stand on the backs of the women who have paved my path, mothered me, sheltered me, taught
me and corrected me. To my mother, my aunts, my grandmothers, my sheroes, my mentors, my
sisters, thank you.
5
Acknowledgments
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to my professors for their invaluable guidance
and support throughout this program. This journey has been transformative, both personally and
professionally, and I owe a great deal of my growth to the mentorship and challenges each of you
have provided. I am truly grateful for your dedication and commitment to my success.
I would also like to extend a special thank you to my chair, Dr. Cash, for his support and
encouragement throughout this journey. He has been a constant source of inspiration, pushing me
to strive for excellence and providing guidance at every step of the way. His guidance has been
instrumental in my success in this program, and I am deeply grateful for his mentorship.
As I reflect on my doctoral journey, I am struck by how this program has not only
supported me as a student but also as a school principal. Being in my second year as a school
leader, I have found that the knowledge and skills I have acquired through this program have
helped me navigate the steep learning curve that comes with being a new leader. I am thankful
for the journey, as it has been a reflective tool that has allowed me to examine and improve my
own leadership practices.
The research that I conducted as part of this project has also been immensely helpful in
my personal and professional growth. Through this research, I have developed personal
leadership commitments and tools that I have been able to implement in my school to improve
my leadership practices. Overall, I am grateful for the skills and knowledge I have gained
through this program and am excited to continue to apply them to improve student outcomes and
create a positive impact in my community.
.
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Table of Contents
Background of the Problem .............................................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................................2
Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................................3
Significance of the Study .................................................................................................................4
Limitations and Delimitations .........................................................................................................4
Definition of Terms ..........................................................................................................................5
Organization of the Study ................................................................................................................6
What is cultural responsiveness, and why is it important? ..............................................................7
How is Culturally Responsiveness measured, defined, and reinforced by school leadership .......14
What are Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices ..................................................................17
Restorative Justice is a Culturally Responsive Practice ................................................................22
Statement of the problem ...............................................................................................................27
Instrumentation ..............................................................................................................................28
Data Collection ..............................................................................................................................29
Role of the Researcher ...................................................................................................................29
Credibility and Trustworthiness .....................................................................................................30
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................31
Summary ........................................................................................................................................32
Participants ....................................................................................................................................33
Results Research Question One: What are teachers' perceptions of their principal's culturally
responsive teaching practices? .......................................................................................................34
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Discussion Research Question One ...............................................................................................43
Results Research Question Two: What school-based practices have teachers perceived have
influenced their culturally responsive teaching practices? ............................................................47
Professional Development .................................................................................................47
Culturally Affirming Curriculum .......................................................................................49
Collaboration and Partnership ...........................................................................................53
Discussion Research Question Two ...............................................................................................55
Summary ........................................................................................................................................58
Implications for Practice ................................................................................................................59
Theme One: Culturally Responsive Principals Lead by Example .....................................59
Theme Two: Culturally Responsive Principals are Visionaries .........................................63
Theme Three: Culturally Responsive Principals Show Empathy and are Responsive .....65
Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................................66
Future Research .............................................................................................................................67
Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................68
References ......................................................................................................................................70
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1
Chapter One: Overview of the Study
Background of the Problem
Minority students in the US struggle in education because of systemic and structural
racism, resulting in what is known as the racial achievement gap (Lee, 2022). Standardized test
scores demonstrate this disparity with data indicating a two-year deficit for black students in
comparison to white students and nearly the same difference for Latinx students (Elliot, 2006).
One known contributing factor to the racial achievement gap in US urban schools is the absence
of high-quality and effective principals who are culturally responsive (Raskin et al., 2015). When
schools have culturally responsive principal leadership, students are exposed to high-quality,
culturally responsive teaching and learning, which contributes to reducing the racial achievement
gap (Gray et al., 2018). This study aimed to discover the specific culturally responsive leadership
stances and mindsets that contribute to the academic achievement of black and brown students in
Oakland, CA.
To reach the goal of eliminating the racial achievement gap, principal leadership that
works to create a school-wide culturally responsive stance is of critical importance (Gay, 2010).
For school leaders to establish and maintain culturally responsive practices, policies, and ways of
thinking they must establish a community agreement in which relationships of trust and
accountability are centered (Gay, 2010). Researcher Meredith Honig argues the importance of
leaders creating models to help meet the “demands to improve teaching and learning...and the
adaptation of work practices important in complex central office work environments” (Honig,
2014 p263). Cultural responsiveness requires clear systems and acknowledgment of context and
2
history (Gay, 2010) therefore school leaders must demand culturally responsive practices in all
areas of the school including the interpersonal relationship between leaders and teachers.
Effective school leadership is a critical component of any school initiative including
reform that includes implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy. The principalship is one
the most prominent and visible roles of school leadership, therefore it is necessary to consider the
practices of the principal which contribute to the implementation of culturally responsive
pedagogy. Leaders must demonstrate their commitment to culturally responsive practices and
mindsets by establishing a clear vision, aligning goals to achieve the vision, and empowering
teachers to be shared leaders in that vision (Viloria, 2019). Effective team-building provides the
collective capacity required to live out a culturally responsive vision for schools, where teachers
are committed to the vision and remain on the job because it centers the relational need between
all stakeholders (Khalifa, 2012).
Statement of the Problem
There is ample research that suggests the need for culturally responsive pedagogy as a catalyst
for closing the racial achievement gap and that principal leadership is a critically important
denominator that is often overlooked (Raskin et al., 2015). This study will examine culturally
responsive leadership behaviors from the perspective of teachers to discover how teachers
believe principals create and monitor systems that build a culturally responsive school climate.
This study uses the conceptual framework of Geneva Gay’s Culturally Responsive Theory which
suggests that teachers need quality learning experiences in order to develop the self-efficacy to
implement culturally responsive pedagogy in the classroom and socio-cultural theory which
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posits that learning is a social process that is not done in isolation (APA, 2015). Leaders who
develop culturally responsive practices will be able to enact what Kumar and Lauermann (2018)
call a “social reconstructionist perspective” that moves teachers from viewing diversity and
cultural differences as a problem to overcome and instead begin to view cultural differences as a
resource to a more thoughtful and meaningful classroom experience. Teachers who experience
principal leadership with a focus on culturally responsive pedagogy are more likely to implement
culturally responsive teaching (CRT) in the classroom which leads to high academic achievement
for students of color (Ladson-Billings, 2005). Conversely, if teachers do not implement CRT in
the classroom then we can expect to see minimal or stagnant academic achievement for students
of color and an increase in what Ladson-Billings terms the “educational debt” which “manifests
itself in the distrust and suspicion about what schools can and will do in communities serving the
poor and children of color (Ladson Billings, 2006, p. 9).
Purpose of the Study
I will interview ten teachers to determine their perspective of the principal’s culturally
responsive systems. The purpose of this study is to identify what behaviors of school principals
are effective in implementing culturally responsive pedagogy. The teachers that I will interview
all work within a small charter network of schools that advertises an antiracist and culturally
responsive approach to education on its website. I have selected these participants because they
will work within the same organization but at two different campuses which will give me insight
into the ways in which principals from different settings uphold or influence the mission and
vision of the organization of schools.
4
I will use Geneva Gay’s framework of culturally responsive teaching (2010) to measure
and observe the behaviors of the principals and to answer the research questions:
(1) What are teachers perceptions of their principal’s culturally responsive teaching
practices; and
(2) What are the school-based practices that teachers perceive have influenced their
culturally responsive teaching practices?
Significance of the Study
This study can add to the existing literature by describing specific leadership practices of
teachers and leaders in Oakland, CA. This study may inform the practice of leaders in urban
settings by providing further information on how leaders contribute to sustaining culturally
responsive schools and suggestions for enactment. The research will provide guidance on how
leaders may develop systems that are culturally responsive and that may be replicated at other
schools.
Limitations and Delimitations
Limitations of the study include the number of teachers who participate in the study
which may impact the internal validity of the results. This research project is narrowed to two
schools which limits the generalizability of the study. The project may also be limited by the
underlying assumption that all school teachers in urban settings feel the social obligation to self-
assess their practices as “culturally responsive” due to the socio-political context in which the
school resides. Principals and teachers may be reluctant to discuss how their practices, behaviors
or mindsets are not aligned with culturally responsive pedagogy.
5
Definition of Terms
Culturally responsive pedagogy: a student-centered approach to teaching in which the students’
unique cultural strengths are identified and nurtured to promote student achievement and a sense
of well-being about the student’s cultural place in the world (Gay, 2010; Lynch, 2018).
Racial Achievement Gap: The term refers to the disparities in educational outcomes and
academic achievement between different racial groups, specifically between white students and
students of color. The gap is often attributed to systemic and structural racism in the education
system, as well as broader societal inequalities.
Cultural self-awareness: The term refers to the understanding and recognition of one's own
cultural background, values, beliefs, and biases. It involves reflecting on one's own experiences
and cultural identity to better understand and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds.
Cultural socialization: The term refers to the process of learning and internalizing cultural
values, beliefs, and practices. This can occur through formal education, as well as through
family, community, and societal norms and expectations.
Education Debt: The term refers to the cumulative impact of historical and ongoing educational
inequalities and disadvantages that have impacted marginalized groups, particularly people of
color. Education debt acknowledges the long-term effects of systemic inequalities and seeks to
address them through policies and practices that promote equity and access.
Cultural Relevance: The term refers to the degree to which educational materials, practices, and
experiences reflect and respect the cultural backgrounds, experiences, and values of students
from diverse backgrounds. Culturally relevant education is aimed at promoting student
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engagement, motivation, and achievement by creating a supportive and inclusive learning
environment.
Identity: The term refers to an individual's sense of self, which includes their social, cultural,
and personal characteristics. Identity can include aspects such as race, ethnicity, gender,
sexuality, religion, and other factors that shape one's worldview and experiences.
Pedagogy: The term refers to the art and science of teaching, including the theories, methods,
and practices used to promote student learning and development. Pedagogy encompasses a wide
range of teaching approaches, from traditional lecture-style instruction to more student-centered
and experiential methods.
Organization of the Study
This study will be organized into five chapters. In chapter one, I have discussed the
background and statement of the problem, the significance of culturally responsive pedagogy in
urban settings, and the research questions that will drive the study. In chapter two I will review
the research that focuses on culturally responsive practices of teachers and leaders, the racial
achievement gap, and how culturally responsive practices can reduce the racial achievement gap.
In chapter three I will discuss the purpose of the study and the methods used to collect and
analyze data. Chapter four will discuss the findings or conclusions that can be derived from the
study and any themes that are derived while answering my research questions. In chapter five I
will discuss my final conclusions and how this study can be used to further the culturally
responsive practices of teachers and principals who serve in urban settings.
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Chapter Two: Review of the Literature
What is cultural responsiveness, and why is it important?
Geneva Gay (2019) Defines Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) as validating,
inclusive, empowering, transformative, liberating, humanistic, and ethical. Teaching practices in
US schools often reflect euro-centric and white American values such as expectations of
attentiveness, rules of dialogue and engagement, deficit thinking, and individualism (Gay, 2018).
Whiteness is the ideology and way of being in the world used to maintain white supremacy
(Dubois, 2019). White supremacy culture is evident in the curriculum and implicit expectations
in schools. In schools, the construct of white supremacy is reinforced through various
mechanisms. One such mechanism is the suppression of cultural identity, which occurs when
white teachers ignore their own racial identity and allow expressions of white privilege to go
unchecked, creating an unsafe environment for students of color.
Additionally, ideas and values such as freedom, frugality, productivity, and ambition,
which are deeply rooted in white culture, permeate the classroom's expectations, rules, and
allowed expressions. These ideas reinforce a white supremacy culture and further exacerbate the
racial achievement gap (Utt & Tochluk, 2020). On the other hand, culturally responsive teaching
recognizes the crucial role that culture and identity play in learning and aims to validate all
students' diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This approach encourages
educators to reflect critically on their identities, cultures, and social norms and challenge any
biases or assumptions they may hold. Educators can create a more inclusive and equitable
learning environment for all students by incorporating cultural responsiveness into their teaching
practices.
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In chapter one of “Deculturalization and the Struggle for Equality”, J. Spring raises the
philosophical question of schools either being truly broken or working by design. Spring
highlights that schools were formed with the intention of removing non-white culture and
replacing it with white supremacy culture and policy. Spring defines the process of
deculturalization as “a conscious attempt to replace one culture and language with another that is
considered ‘superior’ (Spring, 2016).
C.T. Laura asserts that “educators are either engaged in incarceration prevention or
incarceration expansion” (Laura, 2018). The intentional ignoring of racism by administrators and
teachers is active engagement in the school-to-prison pipeline. Sojoyner (2013) makes the point
that the school-to-prison pipeline “is framed ahistorically, often missing critical racial, class,
gendered, and sexed analyses that are needed to understand the root causes” (Sojoyner, 2013). In
addition, Sojoyner asserts that anti-blackness is foundational to school discipline and policy.
Historical, political, and legislative systematic powers of influence have created and perpetuated
racial and cultural educational inequity in public education (Massey et al., 2014). Settler
colonialism (Spring, 2016), school segregation (Orfield & Frankenberg, 2014), and racial zoning
(Rothstein, 2017) have been historical practices in the United States that have contributed to
racial and educational inequities. These racial and economic laws have created educational
learning gaps (Ladson-Billings, 2006) among diverse student populations. The inequitable and
discriminatory political, legislative, economic, and educational practices have perpetuated a
deficit in professional racial and cultural competency among educators.
The lack of adequate financial support for urban schools has created a negative
perception of these schools compared to suburban schools and other educational institutions
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(Massey et al., 2014). Policymakers introduced standardized education, including annual
accountability tests and standards for grade-level content, in an effort to promote educational
equity (Massey et al., 2014). However, the lack of sufficient funding for schools did not match
the needs of school districts, leading to persistent disparities in learning outcomes (Ladson-
Billings, 2006). The continued prevalence of racial and cultural discrimination in education has
prompted a need for professional development for educators in the area of racial and cultural
competency. This training would give teachers and educators the skills to deliver culturally
responsive and sensitive instruction to diverse student populations. By providing culturally
competent education, students from all backgrounds will have the best opportunity to learn and
succeed. To achieve this, professional development should incorporate elements of abolitionist
teaching (Love, 2019), culturally responsive learning environments, and radical love pedagogy
(Douglas & Nganga, 2013), ultimately leading to more equitable and liberating educational
practices.
There is a direct connection between culturally responsive teaching and culturally
responsive leadership. Schools with leaders who demonstrate culturally responsive pedagogy are
more likely to hire and retain culturally responsive teachers (Khalifa et al., 2016, Ladson-
billings, 1995). According to Gay (2010), while culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is crucial
in addressing the academic disparities faced by minoritized students, it cannot single-handedly
solve the systemic challenges within the education system. In order to truly address and
eliminate these disparities, every aspect of the educational system must become infused with
CRT principles, including policy development, administration, and financial decision-making. A
comprehensive, systemic approach incorporating CRT throughout all facets of the education
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system is necessary to create a truly equitable and inclusive learning environment for all
students. Culturally Responsive Leadership Behaviors include; engaging in critical self-
awareness; developing professional development focused on CRT; promoting culturally
responsive school context; engaging communities and families; resisting deficit structures;
holding a robust personal association to social justice and antiracism; validating cultural capital;
and advocacy (Khalifa et al., 2016).
School leadership is a critical component of the reform of urban schools, and the
recruitment of culturally responsive leaders is a significant factor in the success and longevity of
urban schools (Leithwood, Luis, Anderson & Wahlstrom, 2004). Furthermore, the research
indicates that culturally responsive teachers in urban environments leave schools primarily
because of ineffective leadership (Khalifa et al., 2016). Therefore the development of leadership
skills and capacity is critical to the success of urban schools and the likelihood that urban schools
will recruit and retain culturally responsive teachers.
Research on culturally responsive school leadership has shown that traditional leadership
models are insufficient in addressing the needs of diverse communities and that culturally
responsive leadership is necessary to promote equity and inclusion (Clotfelter et al., 2006).
Culturally responsive leadership is the ability to lead in ways that recognize, respect, and value
the cultural backgrounds of all students and families and to use this knowledge to improve
educational outcomes. Culturally responsive leadership leads to improved academic achievement
and higher self-esteem among students of color and is positively related to academic
achievement for minoritized students (Gay, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1994). Research has also
shown that culturally responsive leadership is essential for building positive relationships
11
between school leaders and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. For example, a study by
Fine and Ruglis (2015) found that culturally responsive leadership practices, such as engaging in
meaningful communication with families and creating inclusive environments, improved family
engagement and satisfaction with the school.
Additionally, studies have highlighted the importance of ongoing professional
development for leaders to develop the necessary skills and knowledge for culturally responsive
leadership. For example, Gay (2010) found that professional development in cultural proficiency
was positively related to improved leadership practices and student outcomes. Culturally
responsive school leadership emphasizes the significance of acknowledging, valuing, and
incorporating the diverse cultural backgrounds of all students into the educational experience.
However, as Khalifa et al. (2016) noted, many school leaders tend to rely primarily on
instructional, transformational, and transactional leadership models to address the cultural needs
of students. However, more than these approaches are needed to meet the unique needs of
minoritized students. In order to promote equitable educational outcomes for all students, school
leaders must adopt a culturally responsive leadership approach that considers all students' diverse
backgrounds and experiences.
The article "Toward a theory of culturally relevant leadership for school-community
culture" by Fraise and Brooks (2015) explores the concept of culturally responsive leadership in
the context of school-community culture. The authors argue that more than traditional leadership
models are needed to address diverse communities' needs, and culturally responsive leadership is
necessary to promote equity and inclusion. The article defines culturally responsive leadership as
"the ability to lead in ways that recognize, respect, and value the cultural backgrounds of all
12
students and families, and to use this knowledge to improve educational outcomes" (Fraise &
Brooks, 2015, p. 11). The authors propose a theory of culturally responsive leadership that
includes three key components: cultural self-awareness, socialization, and proficiency. Cultural
self-awareness refers to understanding one's cultural background and biases and how they may
impact one's leadership. Cultural socialization involves creating a school culture that values and
respects diversity and includes all students and families. Cultural proficiency involves effectively
communicating and engaging with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. The authors
also discuss the importance of community engagement and partnerships in culturally responsive
leadership and the need for ongoing professional development for leaders to develop the
necessary skills and knowledge.
A critical element of cultural responsiveness is the intentional naming and dismantling of
deficit thinking and anti-blackness in educational practices (Gay, 2002). The article "Urban
School Principals, Deficit Frameworks, and Implications for Leadership" by Lipman (2017)
examines the impact of deficit frameworks on the leadership practices of urban school principals.
Deficit frameworks refer to the belief that certain groups, such as students from low-income
families or students of color, are inherently deficient and need remediation. The author
conducted in-depth interviews with 12 urban school principals to explore their experiences and
perceptions of deficit frameworks. The findings revealed that most principals held deficit views
of their students and used deficit-based practices, such as focusing on discipline and test scores,
rather than addressing the underlying issues of poverty and racism. The study also found that the
principals needed more understanding of their students' cultural backgrounds and experiences,
which hindered their ability to create inclusive and equitable environments.
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The article highlights the negative impact of deficit frameworks on the leadership
practices of urban school principals and the need for culturally responsive leadership that
recognizes, respects, and values students' cultural backgrounds and experiences. Additionally, the
principals reported limited opportunities for professional development in cultural proficiency and
social justice, which further reinforced their deficit views and practices. The author suggests that
professional development on cultural proficiency and social justice is essential for urban school
principals to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to lead in inclusive and equitable ways.
The article "Research to Practice: Understanding the Role of Implicit Bias in Early
Childhood Disciplinary Practices" by Neitzel (2018) examines the role of implicit bias in early
childhood disciplinary practices. Implicit bias refers to the unconscious attitudes and beliefs that
people hold about certain groups of people, which can influence their actions and decisions. The
author discusses the role of implicit bias in disciplinary practices that lead to the exclusion and
feeling of discomfort that many minoritized students experience. According to the research,
culturally responsive leaders help teachers to unlearn bias through structured and explicit
professional development opportunities that challenge the status quo. Culturally Responsive
Leaders prioritize and provide space and opportunity to express and understand implicit bias,
student data, and CRT strategies by ensuring three conditions are in place: intention, attention,
and time. Culturally responsive leaders use critical self-reflection and ensure that the school's
adult culture includes reflection centered in discussions about race. Additionally, culturally
responsive leaders have specific support for teachers for educational strategies, reflection, and
recognition.
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"In particular, culturally responsive educational practices rely on promoting: (1) the use of
professional development on cross-cultural communication aimed at increasing educators'
awareness of differences between their own and nondominant students' cultural patterns of
communication styles, roles of authority, and preferences that allow educators to better interpret
and intervene with student behaviors; (2) an understanding of racial disparities and other
outcomes through the analysis of trends in data across student demographic characteristics and
(3) input from nondominant community members in determining school-wide behavioral
expectations" (Bal, 2015).
How is Culturally Responsiveness measured, defined, and reinforced by school leadership
Culturally responsive teaching can be measured and defined using various assessment
tools and evaluations that gauge the effectiveness of culturally responsive practices in the
classroom. Measurement tools can include surveys, focus groups, and observation of classroom
dynamics and student engagement. School leadership can reinforce culturally responsive
teaching by incorporating it into school policies and initiatives, providing professional
development opportunities for teachers, and setting expectations for culturally responsive
practices to be integrated into the daily curriculum. Additionally, school leaders can model
culturally responsive behavior, create a positive school culture that values diversity, and
effectively support teachers in implementing culturally responsive practices.
The article "School leadership practice and preparation: Comparative perspectives on
organizational learning (OL), instructional leadership (IL) and culturally responsive practices
(CRP)" explores the importance of school leadership in promoting culturally responsive practices
in education. The authors examine effective leadership practices from seven practices that
contribute to school improvement and academic achievement for minoritized students and find
that culturally responsive leadership is a critical component of a successful school because
culturally responsive principals are analytical, reflective, intuitive, innovative, creative and
15
flexible: the authors also discuss the importance of cultural responsiveness in education and how
it can be reinforced through school policies, professional development, and creation a positive
school culture that values diversity. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for school
leaders to be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to promote OL, IL, and CRP to
ensure the success of their schools because "creating a positive school culture that values
diversity and provides support for teachers to implement culturally responsive practices
effectively is crucial in promoting cultural responsiveness in education" (Jacobson et al., 2013).
"Principals should be introduced to culturally responsive leadership through programs that
emphasize elements such as the critique of social inequities, the incorporation of "cultural funds
of knowledge" in the curriculum (Moll et al., 1992) as well as the mobilization of the social
capital of a diverse community" (Jacobson et al., 2013 p 18).
Lencioni (2002) asserts that influential leaders must consider strategies to build trust in a
team to demonstrate vulnerability. Lencioni suggests that teams become dysfunctional when trust
is absent, there is fear of conflict, lack of commitment, and avoidance of accountability. In all of
these dysfunctions, Lencioni posits that the role of leadership in overcoming dysfunction is to
model desired behaviors. Leaders must show that they trust their team and lean on their
collective expertise. Leaders must also measure and model what they expect to see.
In the text "Culturally Responsive Leadership in a Diverse School," Madhlangobe (2012)
highlights the daily practices of a high school leader that are culturally responsive. Behaviors
noted included:
"Developing a school vision that embraces all cultures, (b) combining students' and
teachers' lived experiences and school experiences, (c) understanding and using customs,
sociocultural experiences, and beliefs and values of students as a basis for helping them
16
to construct new knowledge, and (d) building a school environment that is inclusive and
promotes learning" (p 183).
The text by Sebastian J and Allensworth E (2012) studies the impact of principal
leadership on classroom instruction and student learning. The authors found that principal
leadership is critical in shaping the quality of classroom instruction and, ultimately, student
learning outcomes. The study highlights the various mediated pathways through which principal
leadership influences classroom instruction, including the development of instructional
programs, teacher recruitment and development, and school culture and climate. The authors
conclude that effective principal leadership is crucial for ensuring high-quality classroom
instruction and positive student learning outcomes and, therefore, should be a focus of
educational policy and practice. The findings of this study underscore the importance of
investing in principal training and development programs to ensure the effective leadership
needed to promote high-quality classroom instruction and student learning outcomes.
The article, A Re-New-ed Paradigm in Successful Urban School Leadership: Principal as
Community Leader, written by Khalifa (2012), explores the impact of a principal's community
leadership on school-community relations and student outcomes. The study found that the
principal's role as a community leader, including high visibility in the community and advocacy
for community causes, led to trust and rapport between the school and the community. This
improved relationship between parents and the school led to improved student academic
outcomes. The study has important implications for how principals view their role, presence, and
relationship with the community. It also raises questions about the center of school-community
relationships and the importance of community-centered approaches to leadership in improving
17
student outcomes. The findings suggest that a highly visible and active principal in the
community can positively impact both school-community relations and student academic
performance.
Additionally, studies have shown a direct connection between culturally responsive
leadership and the intrinsic motivation of teachers (Eyal & Roth, 2011; Shepard-Jones et al.,
2018). Eyal and Roth (2011) explore the relationship between principals' leadership and teachers'
motivation. The study employs a self-determination theory analysis and found evidence that
indicates that principal leadership plays a significant role in influencing teacher motivation.
Principals who adopt leadership styles that support teachers' autonomy, competence, and
relatedness were found to impact teacher motivation and job satisfaction positively. On the other
hand, principals who adopted leadership styles that undermined these self-determination needs
were found to harm teacher motivation and job satisfaction. There is an essential link between
principal leadership and teacher motivation and an evident need for principals to adopt
leadership styles that support teachers' self-determination needs. Culturally responsive principal
leadership can play a critical role in promoting teacher motivation, job satisfaction, and
improved performance in the classroom.
What are Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices
Creating an environment that supports students' academic and personal growth is
essential. The need for a supportive environment is especially true for students from diverse
backgrounds who face unique challenges in the classroom. In recent years, culturally responsive
leadership practices have emerged as an essential strategy for addressing these challenges and
18
promoting student achievement. Two articles, "Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices: A
Principal's Reflection" by Maria de Lourdes Viloria (2019) and "The Exploration of Teachers'
and Administrators' Perceptions Regarding the Influence of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy on
Middle School African American Male Students' Achievement" by Michelle S. Lewis (2019),
provide insight into the role that culturally responsive and culturally relevant leadership plays in
promoting student success.
In her article, Viloria examines her experiences as a principal implementing culturally
responsive leadership practices in her school. She reflects on the importance of understanding
and valuing the cultures and experiences of her students and how this understanding has
informed her approach to leadership. She notes that creating a culturally responsive school
requires a commitment to ongoing professional development for teachers and administrators and
a willingness to challenge traditional power structures and decision-making processes. Viloria
asserts that "although the federal and state expectations are daunting, principals have to meet
these demands by making sure that teachers are teaching and working with students who need to
improve their academic skills in response to intervention strategies" (p 172) that include CRT
practices. Viloria's work focuses on presenting culturally responsive leadership practices that
could help school principals transcend rigorous accountability mandates by using two student-
centered practices (1) culturally responsive leadership (Gay, 2010); and (2) teacher self-efficacy
(Bandura, 1993).
Lewis's article explores the perspectives of teachers and administrators on the impact of
culturally relevant pedagogy on the academic achievement of African American male students in
middle school. The study found that teachers and administrators believe that culturally
19
responsive pedagogy positively impacts student engagement, motivation, and academic
performance. They also recognize the need for ongoing professional development and adequate
support in implementing these practices.
Both articles highlight the importance of culturally responsive leadership practices in
promoting student success, particularly for students from diverse backgrounds. They also
underscore the need for ongoing support and professional development for educators to
implement these practices effectively. The research highlights the crucial role that school
administrators play in creating a supportive and culturally responsive learning environment. By
valuing the cultures and experiences of their students and providing the necessary resources and
support for teachers to implement culturally responsive practices, administrators can help to
close the achievement gap and promote success for all students.
Studies have linked principal effectiveness to teacher satisfaction and turnover in hard-to-
staff environments and highlighted the role of principal leadership in promoting effective
teaching and learning in schools (Blase & Blase, 2000; Grissom, 2011). The work of Blase &
Blase (2000) focuses on teachers' perspectives on how principals can promote teaching and
learning in schools. The authors found that effective instructional leadership is characterized by
several key behaviors, including providing support and resources for teachers, promoting a
positive school culture, and fostering collaboration among teachers. Principals who adopt these
behaviors can create a supportive learning environment that promotes teacher satisfaction and
student achievement. Grissom (2011) also examines the relationship between principal
effectiveness and teacher satisfaction and turnover in hard-to-staff environments. The author
found that effective principals are crucial in retaining teachers in disadvantaged schools. Good
20
principals provide a supportive work environment, offer professional development opportunities,
and promote teacher autonomy, all contributing to teacher satisfaction and reduced turnover.
Principals who adopt supportive and empowering leadership styles can create a positive school
environment that promotes teacher satisfaction and student achievement.
Moreover, culturally responsive principals can play a crucial role in retaining teachers in
disadvantaged schools, thereby improving these communities' overall quality of education.
Grissom (2011) suggests that school leaders should focus on creating a positive and supportive
learning environment instead of directly improving student performance. By doing so, they can
indirectly enhance student achievement. According to Grisson (2011), "Principles promote
student achievement not by influencing students directly but by helping to create school
environments that are conducive to student learning" (p 2577).
The article "Finding, Supporting and Keeping" by Brown & Wynn (2009) highlights the
principal's role in reducing teacher turnover, which results in financial and academic losses for
school districts. As described in the article, culturally responsive leadership practices play a
crucial role in retaining teachers and teachers of color. The authors discuss common
characteristics and strategies used by successful principals, such as visionary leadership, a focus
on teachers, a belief in the importance of solid and strategic leadership, a passion for their job,
and creating a nurturing environment for teachers to grow and succeed. The article also mentions
that influential leaders use distributed and culturally responsive leadership styles that share
power, authority, and decision-making responsibilities. Linda Darling-Hammond (2003) states,
"great school leaders create nurturing school environments in which accomplished teaching can
flourish and grow." The research suggests that principals play a significant part in identifying and
21
supporting teachers at risk of leaving their positions and retaining experienced and talented
educators (Brown & Wynn, 2009; Darling-Hammond, 2003; Madsen et al., 2018). The
principal's leadership style, support, and advocacy for teachers can have a positive impact on
reducing teacher turnover and promoting a stable and effective teaching workforce. Culturally
responsive principals emphasize the importance of providing ongoing professional development
and career advancement opportunities to retain highly qualified teachers and teachers of color.
Through recruiting and retaining teachers of color, schools are more likely to implement
culturally responsive practices in the classroom, eliminate color-blind ideologies, and better meet
the social and academic needs of students of color (brown & wynn, 2009; Madsen et al., 2018).
The article "Supportive Principals and Black Teacher Turnover" by Campoli (2017)
explores the impact of principal support on the retention of Black teachers in the education
system. The author argues that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) presents an opportunity
to improve teacher retention, particularly for Black teachers with higher turnover rates than their
non-Black peers. The author emphasizes the importance of principals' supportive leadership
practices, including providing professional development opportunities, recognition and
appreciation of teachers, and opportunities for collaboration and growth. The article argues that
these practices can contribute to reducing Black teacher turnover, thus promoting a stable and
diverse teaching workforce. Campoli asserts that Black teachers are underrepresented in the
teaching profession, which has detrimental effects on students of color and the ability to
implement culturally responsive practices in school. One recurring aspect contributing to Black
teachers' retention is supportive principals. "If a teacher has an effective, supportive principal, the
probability that the teacher would transfer to another school was more than 40% lower, and the
22
probability that she or he would stop teaching altogether was almost 30% lower, compared to the
transfer and attrition rate of a teacher without strong principals" ( p 5).
Restorative Justice is a Culturally Responsive Practice
One essential element of a school leader's role is to create, manage, and sustain effective
responses to student behavior and discipline. "Making discipline relevant: toward a theory of
culturally responsive positive schoolwide discipline" is an article by Hilary Lustick published in
the journal "Race Ethnicity and Education" in 2017. The article focuses on the development of a
theory for culturally responsive positive discipline in schools. The author argues that discipline
practices should be culturally responsive in order to be effective and equitable, taking into
account the cultural backgrounds and experiences of students. The aim is to create a positive
school environment through the implementation of discipline practices that are both culturally
relevant and restorative in nature. The article argues that this approach to discipline can help to
address disparities in discipline and improve outcomes for students from diverse backgrounds.
Culturally Responsive Discipline is an approach to discipline that recognizes and incorporates
cultural diversity in the disciplinary process. The aim is to create a more equitable and just
system by considering the cultural backgrounds and experiences of the individuals involved. The
approach focuses on restoring relationships and building community, rather than simply
punishing individuals for their actions. Restorative Justice (RJ) is an approach to building a sense
of community and belonging, repairing relationships when harm is done, and reflecting on the
impact of one’s actions. Restorative Justice is designed as a set of principles and practices that
aim to eliminate the replication of the school-to-prison pipeline by removing punitive responses
to school discipline and instead providing space for students to learn and grow from their
23
mistakes. RJ is an approach that centers on healing instead of punishment and is designed to be a
tool to foster equity and anti-racist approaches to student behavior. Oakland Unified School
District first implemented Restorative Justice in 2007 and has reported a drastic decrease in
school suspensions and an increase in student engagement and positive relationships with peers
and adults (ousd.org, 2021). RJ involves practices such as restorative circles where members
may come together to discuss the impact of a situation and to take accountability for their actions
and impact. Rj is also a proactive approach to building positive relationships between all
stakeholders, fostering student agency, and creating pathways of student leadership.
At the heart of education is a desire for all children to learn and grow as critical thinkers
and problem solvers. The goal of education is ultimately to prepare students to be participatory
citizens that contribute to the well-being of the country and the globe. The promise of equity is a
key element in the goal of education as public education is claimed to be the epitome of
equitable opportunity. Educational goals therefore should be intended to produce equitable
outcomes for all students. However, according to the work of Stone (2002) equity is not always
equitable depending on how the involved stakeholders view the situation, who the recipients are,
which items are being negotiated, or what the process is. According to Stone “equity is the goal
for all sides in a distributive conflict; the conflict comes over how the sides envision the
distribution of whatever is at issue” (Stone, 2002). In the case of culturally responsive pedagogy
in schools, the question of equity may arise in the cost-benefit of implementation. For instance,
many schools may choose to hire a full-time CRT coordinator who would provide training,
coaching, and teacher development in CRT. This investment in personnel may contribute to more
culturally responsive practitioners but would eliminate one teaching position such as an elective
24
teacher or after-school program coordinator. With limited fiscal resources school administrators
must decide which service is a higher necessity.
In another example, a school may invest in CRT training for teachers. This training has
the potential to allow teachers to develop their capacity to implement culturally responsive
practices. Yet, this decision may feel inequitable to a new teacher, who may be struggling to meet
the basic demands of teaching and is now expected to incorporate CRT inside the classroom. In
other words, what is equitable depends on how each person defines equity, is based on personal
experience and positionality, and has a varied definition of fairness and justice. The concept of
equity has multiple definitions and therefore impacts a school's ability to achieve equitable
outcomes for students, teachers, and families. According to the writings of Bensimon, Dowd, and
Witham “enacting equity requires a continual process of learning, disaggregating data, and
questioning assumptions and relevance and effectiveness” (Bensimon et.al, 2016).
Educational policy is the primary driver of changes in public education. Policy creation is
a response to a public problem that policymakers aim to address and solve. In the case of CRT,
policymakers may have been responding to the social dilemma of racialized disciplinary
practices and outcomes in schools, and the need for social-emotional learning and development
in schools. In Oakland, Restorative Justice policies were implemented concurrently with
OUSD’s implementation of African American Male Achievement (AAMA) programs. Both
programs were a response to the public outcry concerning the mismanagement of public funds by
OUSD executive leadership and administrators and the disparaging data that indicated the
systemic oppression of African American and Latinx students in Oakland public schools (East
Bay Times, 2007). In the wake of a near bankruptcy, OUSD developed a policy to radically
25
change the outcomes for marginalized students. According to the work of Fowler (2009),
“politics is about communication”. OUSD’s policies which produced the implementation of
Restorative Justice and AAMA across Oakland schools were a communication strategy. Fowler
asserts that policies are developed “close to the top of the political system” and implemented by
“superintendents and their staffs, Principals and classroom teachers” (Fowler, 2009). Restorative
Justice and AAMA are responses to pressure placed on politicians to address the fraud, and
systemic racism uncovered in the district. With this lens, one can be skeptical of the assertion
that the intention of both programs is to create equitable outcomes for students. Both RJ and
AAMA were controversial topics in OUSD upon implementation. While AAMA is no longer a
funded program in OUSD, RJ continues to be an essential model of the district’s educational
program.
In conclusion, culturally responsive leadership practices are essential for promoting
student success, especially for students from diverse backgrounds. By supporting and promoting
culturally responsive leadership, administrators can play a crucial role in creating a supportive
and inclusive learning environment for all students while dismantling the racial achievement gap.
The reflections and perspectives of educators, as described in current research, demonstrate the
positive impact of culturally responsive leadership practices on student achievement and
engagement.
26
Chapter Three: Methodology
In chapter one I identified the problem and need for culturally responsive leadership
practices in schools. I discussed the relationship between culturally responsive leadership
practices and the racial achievement gap. I identified culturally responsive principal leadership as
a key component to counter the racial achievement gap and identified the methods and research
questions of this study.
In chapter two I reviewed the literature and identified the leadership and teaching
practices that can be identified as culturally responsive, and the key conditions that contribute to
student achievement. I identified the way in which principal leadership, teacher performance,
and student academic achievement are interconnected. I further identified the critical role of
principal leadership as a key driver for culturally responsive practices in schools and the
importance of principal mindsets and practices that lead to culturally responsive practices in the
classroom.
In chapter three I will identify the purpose of this study which is to determine what
behaviors of school principals contribute to teachers’ implementation of culturally responsive
practices in the classroom. I will also describe the methods I employed to investigate and analyze
the characteristics of these leaders. This chapter is organized into six sections: (a) Statement of
the problem (b) instrumentation, (c) data collection, (d) role of researcher, (e) data analysis, and
(f) concluding statements.
27
Statement of the problem
The education system in the United States has long been plagued by persistent
achievement gaps and disparities, particularly for students from historically marginalized and
underrepresented groups. This is often attributed to systemic and structural inequalities that
pervade the education system, including biased policies, practices, and curricula that fail to
reflect the diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences of students.
While there have been efforts to address these issues, including the implementation of
culturally responsive teaching practices, there is a need to also examine the role of school
leadership in promoting equitable and inclusive educational environments. Specifically, there is a
growing recognition of the importance of culturally responsive principal practices in supporting
the success and well-being of all students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.
Gay (2010) made the point that culturally responsive teaching is important, but that it alone
cannot solve the major challenges facing minoritized students. She amplified the importance of
reforming and transforming all aspects of the educational enterprise, such as funding,
policymaking, and administration, so they too are culturally responsive.
However, despite the potential benefits of culturally responsive principal practices, there
remains a lack of research on effective strategies for promoting and implementing these practices
in schools. Moreover, there is a need to explore how cultural self-awareness and socialization
among school leaders can impact the development and implementation of culturally responsive
practices. There is a need to explore how cultural self-awareness and socialization among school
leaders can impact their ability to develop and implement culturally responsive practices that
promote equitable and inclusive educational environments for all students.
28
Instrumentation
The instrumentation that will be used will include an interview protocol. My interview
questions will identify the culturally responsive leadership practices of ten teachers in Oakland
and the teachers' perception of how principal leadership translates to teacher performance and
student achievement. Participants were chosen using the following criteria:
1. The school in which the teacher works has a public vision statement that includes
elements of culturally responsive pedagogy.
2. The model of the school includes the role of the principal as the primary
instructional leader and coach as measured by the coaching practices of the
school. I am a principal within the organization in which this study will be
conducted and have insight into the coaching structure of the network of schools.
My positionality as a principal is an area that could have impacted my reading and
interpretation of the data. To limit the influence of my positionality, I ensured that
I stuck to the protocol and interview questions so that my own thinking or
opinions were not included in the data analysis. I ensured that I used coded names
for participants to eliminate bias. The teachers that I will study have principals
that serve as instructional coaches and are required to internalize lesson plans,
observe teachers, and facilitate a data talk and feedback session with each teacher
they coach on a bi-weekly cadence.
29
I will interview teachers at two different schools within one organization to explore Geneva
Gay’s model of culturally responsive teaching (2010) to measure and observe the behaviors of
the principals and to answer the research questions
Data Collection
The interview questions were derived using Krueger and Casey’s guide to crafting
interview questions (Krueger & Casey, 2015) and Patton’s questioning type matrix (Patton,
2002) which will increase the validity and reliability of the findings. This study is a qualitative
study that identifies the mindsets, systems, and practices of teachers that are culturally
responsive and the teacher’s perception of the influence of the principal in supporting culturally
responsive practices. Qualitative research is “research that produces findings arrived from real-
world settings where the phenomenon of interest unfolds naturally" (Patton, 2002, p. 39). A
qualitative study aims to understand the unique experiences of people, how people construct and
understand the world around them, and how people assign significance or meaning to
experiences (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). In this study, the aim is to identify teachers' perceptions
of how school leadership impacts their practice. I will interview teachers to determine how
principals engage in a complex system within their schools, identify themes among the
participants, and determine how principals' actions and mindsets contribute to teachers
implementing culturally responsive teaching practices.
Role of the Researcher
While engaging in interviews and observations I will need to recognize how my
positionality has the possibility of influencing my findings. My personal relationship with
schooling correlates to my positionality as an educator and school leader. According to Douglass
30
and Nganga (2015), positionality can be defined as “how one is situated through the intersection
of power and the politics of gender, race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, culture, language and other
social factors”. As a student, schooling gave me affirmation where I lacked power because of my
gender (my teachers were primarily women, so I was affirmed), race (my teachers were primarily
black, so I was affirmed), and class (my teachers also had troubled experiences in childhood, so I
was affirmed). As an educator, I see how schooling can have (and often has) the opposite effect
on many children. Schools can be (and have historically been) the sources of violence and harm
against people like me. Spring (2016) indicates the multitude of ways that schools have
administered methods of colonialization including cultural genocide, deculturalization,
assimilation, cultural pluralism, denial of education, and hybridity. For this study I addresses
potential biases by sticking to the interview protocol and scripting what participants said directly
and objectively. I aso ensured that I clearly defined my research question and indicated
specifically what I wanted to achieve. Additionally I analyzed the data objectively, using code
names for participants and not including identifying information that could have otherwise
allowed personal biases or beliefs to influence the interpretation of the data. The code names
were useful because I intentionally took several months away from the time I interviewed
participants and the time that I reviewed the data to determine themes so that my recollection of
participant responses only included the written transcripts.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
To maintain the credibility of my findings I have chosen to interview ten teachers which
will give me a wider range of perspectives and responses. I will maintain the credibility of my
study by standardizing and field testing my interview questions and processes, practicing a
31
system for notetaking, reducing external distractions by holding interviews in a private space
outside of work hours, and member-checking responses to ensure that I interpret what the
respondent communicates accurately (Maxwell, 2013 chp6; Miriam & Tisdell, 2016 pp244). I
will keep participants anonymous by using pseudonyms for participants and school names. Due
to my working relationship with the teachers of my study, I must take an extra step to ensure the
anonymity of the participants. I am a principal within the organization and this may influence the
responses of the participants, especially the responses of the teacher. I acknowledged the power
dynamics between the participants and myself by stating clearly that I understand my position of
authority as a principal and that I have no intention of abusing that power. I ensured participants
that what they say in the interview is confidential and only used to derive conclusions to my
research questions. I also ensured that the interviews happened outside of their work hours and
outside of their school campuses so that teachers did not experience a conflict of interest. By
ensuring that the interviews happen during non working hours and off campus I added another
layer of confidentiality and trustworthiness.
Data Analysis
To address my research questions I analyzed the teachers' interviews to assess teacher
self-efficacy and background knowledge of culturally responsive practices and if teachers felt
more capable of leading a culturally responsive classroom because of the influence and direction
of their principal. Effective school leadership can be characterized as establishing a shared
vision, creating a climate needed for teaching and learning, building the leadership of others,
improving instruction, and managing people, data, and processes (Mendals, 2012; The Wallace
Foundation, 2012). School principals, therefore, focus their time and energy on developing
32
people and systems to improve the experience of students. The primary way that principals drive
this work is through instructional coaching and professional development (Mendals, 2012). The
interview questions that I asked participants narrowed in on the coaching practices of the
principal as well as the professional development opportunities provided. I analyzed each
teacher's perception of their use of culturally responsive practices in the classroom. The teacher
interviewsserved as a self-report of teachers who believe they implement culturally responsive
practices because of the influence of their principal are more likely to experience success in the
classroom (Ladson-Billings, 2005) and therefore more likely to remain in their current teaching
position (Brown & Wynn, 2009). To determine my findings I looked across all datasets for
themes, patterns, and relationships by using a thematic analysis strategy.
Summary
The instrumentation that I used in this study is critical to the validity of the findings. I
must include myself as an instrument and consider my relationship and positionality as an
Oakland native and Principal within the network of schools. It is essential that I limit my own
influence in the study by standardizing my interview questions and protocol, removing
distractions or conflicts of interest by holding the interviews off-site and outside of work hours,
and naming the purpose of the study. The study will give insight into teachers' perceptions of
what principal behaviors support teachers in being culturally responsive practitioners.
33
Chapter Four: Findings
This study examined teachers' perceptions of principals' culturally responsive leadership
practices and the actions and behaviors teachers believe principals take to support culturally
responsive teaching. The findings of this study are derivative of the themes developed after
interviewing ten teachers who all work in one network of charter schools. The teachers
interviewed have different principals. However, they all work within an organization with a
public commitment to culturally responsive teaching and learning (school website, 2022). The
study examined teachers' experiences with professional development in culturally responsive
teaching and what they believed principals do (or should do) to develop teachers' capacity to
implement culturally responsive teaching practices.
Participants
The participants of this study were selected from a network of six charter schools and
represented a diverse group of educators. They had varying teaching experience, with some
having just a few years of experience and others having several decades of experience.
Additionally, their time at their current school varied, with some recently joining and others
being long-term employees. The participants held various positions within the schools, including
elementary, middle, and high school teachers, and taught various subjects and content areas. It is
important to note that this study did not consider the participants' professional degrees or
credentials and instead focused on their experiences as teachers within the charter school
network.
34
Results Research Question One: What are teachers' perceptions of their principal's
culturally responsive teaching practices?
Teachers believe that culturally responsive school leaders work to communicate the
vision to create inclusive learning environments, understand and respect the cultural backgrounds
of students, and model teaching practices that are culturally relevant and responsive. Teachers'
perceptions of their principal's culturally responsive teaching practices can significantly impact
the school culture and student learning experience (Grissom, 2011). If teachers perceive their
principal as culturally responsive, it can lead to a more positive and inclusive school
environment (Bandura, 1993). On the other hand, if teachers feel that their principal needs to
address cultural diversity, it can create a hostile and divisive atmosphere in the school. Teachers'
perceptions are influenced by various factors, including their personal experiences with the
principal, the training provided, and the principal's leadership style.
I found that teachers' perceptions of their principal's culturally responsive teaching
practices are crucial in school culture and students' learning experience. Teacher responses
indicated that when teachers perceive their principal as being culturally responsive, they are
likely to adopt similar practices in their classrooms, leading to a more inclusive and culturally
responsive school environment. For example, participant A said, "because she (the principal)
always communicates the importance of culturally responsive practices, I feel like I must do this
in my classroom, and I incorporate this in my lesson plans that I turn in ." Teachers who believe
their principal supports and encourages culturally responsive pedagogy are more likely to make
instructional decisions that value the cultural wealth of their students, such as including diverse
curricula and seeking community engagement, as with participant E, who said that they "feel
35
empowered to include diverse text in my curriculum like the unit I planned called 'what can I do
for Oakland' that I would have never thought to use at my previous school." Additionally, I found
that when teachers feel that when their principal values cultural diversity and is committed to
creating an inclusive learning environment, they are more likely to report higher job satisfaction
and a stronger sense of belonging within the school community such as Participant F who said
“coming from Puerto Rico and having a principal who gives you a chance and (she) trusts my
ability to teach and connect with students has made me step up to work hard for her and to
follow her vision for the school. In my last position, I felt like my culture was not valued but
here she (the principal) asks me to help her be more culturally responsive and develop a better
understanding of Latino culture…I am happy here…this is my school family”.
The findings of this study emphasize the importance of school leaders' role in creating a
culturally responsive and inclusive learning environment. Teachers are critical to the success of
such an environment, as they are responsible for creating the day-to-day experiences of students
in the classroom. However, the influence of school leaders, especially the principal, cannot be
understated, as they set the tone and culture for the entire school community. Seven out of ten
participants named that their principal's daily actions helped them develop the skills needed to be
culturally responsive practitioners.
Principals prioritizing culturally responsive teaching practices message their teachers that
diversity and inclusivity are valued and prioritized in the school. When teachers see this
commitment from their principal, they are more likely to adopt similar classroom practices. This
explicit commitment to CRT, in turn, has a ripple effect throughout the school, creating a more
welcoming and supportive environment for students of all backgrounds (Grissom et al., 2021).
36
Teachers with culturally responsive principals reported feeling empowered to implement
culturally responsive practices such as restorative justice and were able to create systems and
structures to build a connection between school and community. For example, Participant A, who
is in their first year at their current school, said “I came here (to the school) with a background in
Social Emotional Learning and Restorative Justice and for the first time in my career I don’t feel
stifled when I implement these things in my classroom. I use part of my study hall for mindful
movement and yoga and she (the principal) encourages it and even participates sometimes. In my
last school if I tried to do that…man..that would not be welcome”. Four participants stated that
their principal regularly led training on restorative justice circles, which helped them to
implement restorative circles in their classrooms as a specific example of the principal's
influence. Participant E said,
“we use RJ in everything and we have had a lot of training. But I think what helps the
most is that we practice RJ naturally as a staff. We hold staff circles once a month to give
feedback to her and she just listens and is on the same page with us and we hold circles as
a staff to deal with the hard stuff like when there was a shooting at another school close
to ours and instead of holding PD as usual, she held space for us in a circle to express our
grief and fears...it was powerful and I did the same thing the next day with my students…
she didn’t tell us to do that she just modeled it”.
Creating a culturally responsive and inclusive school culture requires a commitment from
all members of the school community, but the role of the principal must be recognized.
Principals prioritizing cultural responsiveness and inclusivity benefit their students and create a
more positive and supportive environment for their teachers therefore school leaders must
prioritize cultural diversity and inclusivity and model these values through their actions and
practices (Grisson et al., 2021; Kenneth et al., 2004).
37
However, this study also shows that not all teachers perceive their principal's culturally
responsive practices positively. Some teachers may feel that their principal needs to address
cultural diversity more effectively in the school or that they need more training and experience to
handle cultural differences. In these cases, teachers may feel disengaged from the school
community and less likely to adopt culturally responsive classroom practices. Teachers with
negative perceptions expressed that their principal must address cultural diversity effectively and
engage students and families. These teachers expressed disengagement from the school
community and were less likely to adopt culturally responsive classroom practices. For example,
Participant D said, "He [the principal] does not even acknowledge our identity [black teachers]
and always tells us to take on those kids [black kids] because they get in trouble. But he gives us
no resources and thinks our blackness is enough, but honestly, most of our kids are Latinx, so we
need training on how to be culturally responsive to all our kids…it makes me feel like a pawn as
one of the only black male teachers,” Participant G said, "most of our focus is around academic
pushes, and we don't always talk about race and racism and stuff like that, so I don't know really
how to implement culturally responsive practices…honestly just trying to make it through the
school year". The participants of this study included five white teachers, two Latinx teachers, and
three Black teachers. One Latinx teacher felt that their principal was culturally responsive and
named, "our school has done a lot of work to meet the needs of our newcomer and multilingual
learner students, which makes me feel like we are culturally responsive…and we work to
understand our kids". The second teacher, who identified as Latinx, worked at a different school
site with a White school leader and said, "we have ELD courses, but teachers get no training…
there have been students at this school for years and still have not learned English…I don't think
38
he [the principal] fully lives up to the vision…he has a lot of blind spots, and I wish he would
listen more to the teachers of color and people from this community".
White supremacy is a systemic and pervasive issue affecting all societal aspects,
including education. In school leadership, white supremacy can manifest in several ways,
ranging from lacking diversity in leadership positions to policies and practices perpetuating
racial inequality (March et al., 2022). White supremacy shows up in school leadership by under-
representing people of color in leadership positions. According to a report by the Albert Shanker
Institute (2015), although people of color make up more than half of the student population in
public schools, they only represent 19% of principals and 11% of superintendents. This
underrepresentation of people of color in leadership positions can perpetuate a system in which
white culture dominates, making achieving equity and inclusion in schools challenging. This
study found that teachers with white school leaders were less likely to report that their principal
was culturally responsive:

The teachers with white principals had fewer descriptive definitions of culturally
39
responsive teaching, with two of those teachers reporting that they could not define the term.
Teachers who perceived their principal's day-to-day practices were not culturally responsive
often made connections between a lack of culturally responsive leadership and white supremacy
culture.
White supremacy shows up in school leadership through policies and practices
perpetuating racial inequality. For example, school discipline policies, such as zero-tolerance
policies, have been shown to disproportionately impact students of color, resulting in higher rates
of suspension and expulsion (Gay, 2012). Tracking, or separating students into different
academic tracks based on perceived ability, can perpetuate racial inequality by limiting the
opportunities available to students of color. Participants D and G both alluded to the informal
tracking practices initiated by the principal that hindered their ability and desired to implement
culturally responsive classroom practices, including having “required ELD courses without
supporting teachers on how to teach ELD” (participant G) and having differing disciplinary
expectations for students such as prompting black staff members to take the lead for disciplinary
action with black students (Participant D). When asked about their school's commitment to its
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement Participant D said, "we are pushed to focus on test
scores and academic achievement more than who are students are or their cultures…I don't think
we have made space for that work, although we claim it". Participant G noted that “the school is
not diverse, we have 90% Latino students…we should be doing more to recruit and retain
students from different backgrounds”. The National Education Policy Center study found that
white principals are more likely to have negative perceptions of students of color than their non-
white counterparts. Negative perceptions of students of color can manifest as lower expectations
40
for students of color that limit their academic and social-emotional growth, and school leaders
may avoid addressing racial issues in their schools for fear of backlash or criticism (Allen et al.
2019). Some teachers (participant G and I) noted that race sometimes factored into the treatment
of students. For example, Participant G said, "there is a lot of anti-blackness on our campus,
especially between students, and we just don't ever talk about it ." Participant I described an
unpleasant experience with their principal in which they were reprimanded for showing
favoritism to black students; “[the principal] basically said that because I had close relationships
with our Black students that I didn’t hold them accountable…I was leading BSU and planned
special events for them but when some students got in trouble [the principal] wanted to remove
them from BSU…that’s honestly the opposite of cultural responsiveness…I wanted [the
principal] to acknowledge that these kids (black students) get in far more trouble for the same
behavior as others…it was not fair honestly because it was clear [the principal] didn’t want that
conversation.” The teachers reported that to combat white supremacy in education, leaders must
engage in conversations about race “I wish that we could really step into brave spaces and be
able to improve our school culture where black students have agency and are not pushed to the
side..antiblackness is the most pervasive form of racism but we are not doing enough to combat
it” (Participant D); leaders should actively recruit and retain people of color in leadership
positions “representation is important” (Participant A), and leaders should implement policies
and practices that promote equity and inclusion “our behavior hierarchy helps all teachers be on
the same page with discipline and kids know what is expected of them” (Participant A).
In some cases, teachers who had a negative view of their principal's culturally responsive
practices reported needing more training or professional development to address cultural
41
diversity in the classroom effectively. For example participant J said that she doesn’t “have a
clear definition of what culturally responsive practices are and I don’t get a lot of training on
that.” Participant D said that “the culture is so focused on accountability and micromanaging
adults but where are the opportunities for us to learn…our PLC time is really just another
deliverable”. Teachers who felt ill-equipped to handle cultural differences were hesitant to adopt
culturally responsive practices, leading to a less inclusive learning environment. Participant J
said that she has one cohort of students that she believes are really challenging and said, “I wish I
had more admin support for like all the challenges like I haven’t seen someone higher-up in my
classroom in a long time especially when I have to handle issues with students who argue with
me and I don’t really know what to do… because sometimes the kids will say racist stuff to
me…like call me a slave owner…and how am I supposed to handle that without help.”
Additionally, some teachers did not agree with their principal's approach to cultural
responsiveness “we are encouraged to do home visits but in the black community that is really
disrespectful…someone just showing up to your house unannounced is really disrespectful”
(participant D) or felt their principal needed to be fully committed to creating an inclusive
learning environment “we don’t have the structures to really be inclusive with students with
disabilities..the specialist pushes in but I don’t have enough strategies to really support all
students in an inclusion model” (participant J). In these cases, teachers were less likely to adopt
culturally responsive classroom practices, which could contribute to a less diverse and inclusive
school culture. In response to the question, What are the culturally responsive teaching practices
that you have facilitated in your classroom if any, Participant J responded “adjusting myself to
show up every day for kids, and learn who they are, but I am not really sure how to do this, I
42
want to be authentic in relationships and not fake…I feel like he (the principal) wants us to like
put up posters (of black and brown leaders/people) but I don’t know how that changes things
with kids…if we are committed to social justice then our time needs to be spent really working
to learn how to do that.” Participant I responded to the question by saying “I don’t do any of that
stuff (culturally responsive practices) when I am being observed, I just stick to the curriculum as
is, even though it’s boring and it doesn’t give my students what they need (laughs)…because I’ll
be rated unfavorably if I did. He just wants us to be worksheet teachers…when I have so much
expertise and I know how to make math fun and engaging and relevant for kids…but if I don’t
have the correct worksheet to match the pacing guide in the curriculum I am dinged for it.”
Teachers expressed that it is essential for school leaders to actively seek feedback from
their teachers and be willing to change their approach based on this feedback such as “I want
coaching meetings to be mutually engaging, respecting my expertise also” (participant I) or “she
holds space for us to talk about issues..she holds an RJ circle with us to give feedback”
(participant F). By actively engaging with their teachers and providing ongoing support and
training, principals can work to address any concerns and ensure that all teachers feel equipped
to implement culturally responsive practices. Participants expressed that they wanted to give
direct feedback to the principal and support initiatives that would help bring culturally
responsive practices to the school. Participant F said, “I feel comfortable giving feedback on
events and things like our community meetings or approach to school policies like the cell phone
policy and that makes me really want to implement those things…because I had a hand in
developing the plan”. Participant A said, “it’s super important to me that all the teachers are on
43
the same page in regards to discipline and restorative practices and that the principal listens to us
when we say something isn’t working.”
Overall, it is clear that a principal's approach to cultural responsiveness and inclusivity
can significantly impact the school culture and students' learning experience. By actively
prioritizing and modeling cultural responsiveness, principals can create a positive and supportive
school environment that benefits all community members.
Discussion Research Question One
Culturally responsive principals show empathy, culturally responsive principals are
visionaries, and culturally responsive principals lead by example are all important big ideas in
culturally responsive education (Grisson et al., 2021; Kenneth et al., 2004). However, they each
represent a different aspect of culturally responsive leadership.
Empathy involves recognizing and valuing the unique perspectives and experiences of
individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and responding to their needs in a culturally
sensitive and supportive manner. Culturally responsive principals who show empathy are
characterized by their ability to listen actively and understand their students and staff's
perspectives and experiences from diverse backgrounds. The teachers who participated in this
study and believed their principal was culturally responsive felt that their principal effectively
balanced high expectations for teaching and learning with respect for their humanity “she
reminds us in the Monday newsletter and in her morning announcements that we have a duty to
connect with our kids…she tells the kids they are loved every day in announcements which helps
them know they belong (Participant F). These teachers reported that their principal took the time
44
to understand their needs and provided support to help them develop their skills and abilities
rather than punishing or assuming the worst “when I am observed I get feedback that is helpful
and I don’t feel like it is a ‘gotcha’ thing because she also tells me what I am doing right”
(participant C). The teachers felt that the principal was present and accessible, taking the time to
understand what they and their students were experiencing and encouraging them to adopt a
similar approach in their classrooms “she is always in the hallways and classrooms…I remember
I was teaching a unit on dna and she (the principal) was observing me and it was going really
bad…students were disengaged and not really listening…she stopped me and gave me a strategy
that helped reengage kids (turn and talk and chunking my lecture) which I think was culturally
responsive because she told me that our students enjoy active classrooms and talking to each
other” (participant B).
Additionally, the teachers who felt their principal was culturally responsive reported
feeling more valued, respected, and supported in their work. They noted that this positive
relationship with their principal allowed them to be more creative and innovative in their
teaching and to feel more confident in their abilities to meet the needs of their students for
example participant E said “I am able to add more culturally responsive readings to my unit and I
even added the unit ‘What Can I Do For Oakland” in addition to my curriculum which really
helped me connect with my students”. These teachers also reported that their students responded
positively to the culturally responsive practices they adopted in their classrooms, leading to
increased engagement and academic success “when I taught the unit on Feminism, I worked with
my coach (the principal) to add more things about Latina feminism and my students really
responded to that shift. The curriculum really focused on white women’s experiences with
45
feminism but when I changed it my students showed more work completion and engagement”
(Participant A).
Furthermore, the teachers felt that the principal's culturally responsive leadership created
a more positive school culture where students and staff felt valued, respected, and supported.
They noted that this inclusive and supportive school culture helped foster a sense of community
and belonging and encouraged all school community members to work together to promote
equity and cultural responsiveness. Overall, the teachers who believed that their principal was
culturally responsive felt that this type of leadership positively impacted their teaching, the
success of their students, and the school's overall culture. They felt that culturally responsive
leadership helped create a more inclusive, supportive, and equitable learning environment for all
school community members.
Visionary principals can inspire and motivate their staff to embrace cultural
responsiveness and to work together to create more inclusive and equitable learning
environments. Culturally responsive principals who are visionaries are characterized by their
ability to articulate a clear and inspiring vision for culturally responsive education. This vision
may include a commitment to promoting equity and cultural responsiveness in the curriculum,
instruction, and school culture (Grisson et al., 2021; Kenneth et al., 2004).
Culturally responsive principals who lead by example are characterized by their ability to
model cultural responsiveness in their actions and decisions. They may demonstrate cultural
responsiveness through their relationships with students and staff, use of culturally responsive
instructional practices, and explicit commitment to creating an anti-racist school culture. By
leading by example, these principals inspire and motivate their staff to adopt culturally
46
responsive practices and to create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for all
students (Grisson et al., 2021; Kenneth et al., 2004).
This study highlighted the need for diversity and representation in school leadership.
Developing principal pipelines prioritizing diversity in leadership can benefit schools and
districts significantly and increase the likelihood of teachers being culturally responsive
practitioners. Research indicates that students of color tend to perform better academically with a
same-race administrator, resulting in higher test scores, improved attendance, and a greater
likelihood of being placed in gifted programs (Kenneth et al., 2004). Additionally, principals of
color can promote more inclusive teacher hiring practices, reduce teacher turnover for same-race
teachers, and improve job satisfaction for teachers who work with a same-race principal
(Grissom & Keiser, 2011). Furthermore, when teachers of color work under same-race
supervisors, they are more likely to be encouraged to pursue administrative positions, which
creates a diverse leadership pool. Prioritizing diversity in principal pipelines can also increase
teacher diversity, contribute to narrowing the race-based achievement gaps for students, and
increase culturally responsive teaching practices (Loeb & Horng, 2011).
The big ideas - culturally responsive principals who show empathy, culturally responsive
principals who are visionaries, and culturally responsive principals who lead by example - are all
critical aspects of culturally responsive education. They each represent a different aspect of
culturally responsive leadership and, when combined, can create a comprehensive approach to
promoting equity and cultural responsiveness in schools.
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Results Research Question Two: What school-based practices have teachers perceived have
influenced their culturally responsive teaching practices?
Professional Development
In the article "Culturally Responsive Practices in Schools" (2008) Fielder et al. explore
the importance of incorporating cultural diversity and knowledge into teaching practices to create
an inclusive learning environment for all students. The authors discuss the factors that influence
teachers' adoption of culturally responsive practices and provide examples of how schools can
promote these practices. One key factor that influences teachers' adoption of culturally
responsive practices is professional development. Teachers participating in professional
development programs focused on cultural responsiveness, and diversity are more likely to
integrate these practices into their teaching (Craig et al., 2008, Fiedler et al., 2008). These
programs can include workshops, conferences, and training sessions that provide teachers with
the skills and knowledge needed to create inclusive learning environments. This study's
participants named professional development a critical factor that encouraged them to implement
culturally responsive practices in their classrooms. Participant C said, "I came to this school
pretty novice, and I really appreciated the time we spent at the beginning of the year and
sometimes throughout the year reading and talking about how to be an anti-racist educator…
without these experiences, I think I would have just been like lost as a white guy in this school it
was really important for me to understand my own identity and biases…the PD at this school
helped my understanding and commitment (to CRT)".
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Teachers in this study named that specific training and professional development on the
school's positive behavior support (PBIS) allowed teachers to implement PBIS in culturally
responsive ways, improving student outcomes and teachers' relationships with students.
Participant C said “our professional development every week focuses on topics that help teachers
improve but also in every session we connect what we are learning to our (PBIS system) and we
get better at implementing it. They (the admin team) plan for learning that is engaging and we
will do role plays and case studies to practice before we are required to implement anything
new”. Participant H said, “I came from teaching at a college…the biggest support I have
received is around classroom management for middle school, big difference, and how to teach
the Habits of Work and Learning that our school has”. The article "Understanding Real-World
Implementation Quality and Active Ingredients of PBIS" (2013) discusses the implementation
quality and essential components of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a
framework used in schools to promote positive behavior and prevent challenging behaviors. The
authors explore the importance of understanding the factors contributing to the successful
implementation of PBIS, including fidelity of implementation, quality of implementation, and
identifying "active ingredients" that lead to positive outcomes. The authors note that "PBIS
implementation fidelity is important because high levels of fidelity have been associated with
positive student outcomes" and "The quality of implementation matters because it impacts the
degree to which a program or intervention is implemented as intended" (Molloy et al., 2013, p.
595). This study found that teachers needed specific, ongoing training in PBIS systems and
strategies. Participant C said, "when we talk about our (PBIS System), we talk about how to
teach it to kids and how to monitor it…we do this in our advisory classes, and then teachers look
49
at data in PD (professional development)...this helps us know that we are responding to our
students in ways that are helpful and responsive to their cultures and who they are as people…we
teach them we don't punish them". Implementing specific and ongoing training for teachers
provides teachers with opportunities to reflect on their teaching practices and identify areas for
improvement. By engaging in ongoing professional development, teachers can receive feedback
from peers and experts in their field and change their teaching practices accordingly. Professional
development supports teachers in motivation and engagement in their work and improves teacher
retention rates and the likelihood that teachers create and sustain meaningful relationships with
students and families. When teachers feel supported and valued by their schools, they are more
likely to remain in their positions and continue to contribute positively to their student's learning.
Culturally Affirming Curriculum
Another school-wide practice that influences teachers' ability to implement culturally
responsive practices is using culturally relevant and diverse curriculum materials. When teachers
use materials that reflect the diversity of their students, they are more likely to incorporate
diverse perspectives and materials into their teaching that help students feel valued and
respected, improving academic outcomes (Craig et al., 2008). In the text, Enacting a Culturally
Responsive Curriculum in a Novice Teacher's Classroom (2008), the author suggests that
teachers with different cultural backgrounds than their students often face "cultural
disequilibrium," which "describes not only the cultural mismatch that may occur between
teachers and their students but also the sense of imbalance or confusion that can result when
individual attempts to grapple with situations or experiences for which he or she is not fully
50
prepared" (Beheron, 2008, p. 7). Bergeron found that a culturally affirming curriculum is the
highest leverage tool that schools can provide novice teachers that support culturally responsive
teaching. Several study participants named the provided curriculum elements of culturally
responsive school-wide practices even when the participants did not believe their principal was
culturally responsive. For instance, Participant G named that the principal ignored and avoided
issues of racism but named that the curriculum he was provided supported his practice; "I have
curriculum for ELD (English language development courses) that not only are helping me teach
my students English, but also it celebrates their home language and cultures. This is something
that I could not do independently because I don't have a lot of knowledge or experience with
Latinx culture specifically, but using my curriculum helps me a lot".
A culturally responsive curriculum is essential because it recognizes and values students'
diverse cultural backgrounds and incorporates them into the learning process. A culturally
responsive curriculum promotes inclusivity by creating a learning environment where students
feel valued and respected, it incorporates diverse perspectives and knowledge into the
curriculum, so students from all backgrounds can feel represented in the learning process; they
learn from a familiar base that helps make connections to their own experiences and can form
connections between their home cultures and the culture of their school (Bergeron, 2013; Nichols
et al., 2000). A culturally responsive curriculum can improve student engagement by making
learning more relevant and meaningful. When students see themselves and their cultural
backgrounds reflected in the curriculum, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in
learning (Phuntsok, 1999). Participants of this study named their curriculum as the catalyst for
improved relationships and engagement in their classrooms. For instance, Participant E said that
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"when I taught the unit on cancel culture, which included works from black and Latino authors,
my class had so many rich discussions, and it allowed us to connect in ways I don't think would
have happened without the curriculum…like, for instance, if we were reading all stuff by white
folk I think my kids would be really disengaged…I appreciate that the school has been
thoughtful about the curriculum choices and that I don't have to work to add a lot of that to my
lessons; it's already there for me".
The research has shown (Gay, 2002; LuVenia et al., 2018) that a culturally responsive
curriculum can improve academic achievement for students from diverse backgrounds. By
incorporating diverse perspectives and knowledge into the curriculum, teachers can create a
more equitable learning environment and help students to succeed. LuVenia et al. (2018) assert
that instructional coaches and leaders play a critical role in helping teachers internalize and adopt
culturally responsive curricula and practices and that providing a curriculum alone is insufficient.
Instead, instructional coaches work to "strategically engage with teachers on their culturally
responsive practice" (p 535). Schools can organize leadership structures that are distributive in
order to deploy more individuals to focus on coaching teachers to use their curriculum better and
increase their capacity to implement culturally responsive practices (Gay, 2002). Participants H
and J alluded to the importance of coaching to use their curriculum with the highest fidelity and
impact. Participant H said, "I really struggled when thinking about how to approach a text we
were reading that used eradicated racialized language with my positionality as a white guy. The
book used the word frequently, and I didn't know what to do or how to explain to kids the context
of the word, skip over it, say it, or ignore it. I was really grateful that my coach (a black woman)
was able to teach me some strategies to prevent what could have been a big problem. I don't want
52
my kids to think I am racist when really I was just ignorant and needed help navigating these
kinds of situations... I'm glad we have coaching". Participant J said that they felt that "working
with my coach to practice culturally responsive practices like providing think time is one way the
school gives me support. My coach explicitly named for me that the urge to rush, or sense of
urgency, is a characteristic of white supremacy that we have to unpack and undo, and I was like,
wow, I didn't think about how the simple practice (wait time) would help students feel safe with
me".
The article "Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching" by Gay explores the
importance of preparing teachers to work effectively with diverse student populations. According
to Gay (2002) “to be effective, culturally responsive teaching must involve a deep understanding
of the cultural backgrounds and experiences of students, and a willingness to engage with
students in a respectful and meaningful way” (p. 109) Effective culturally responsive teaching
requires a shift in thinking from a deficit-based approach that emphasizes the shortcomings of
students from diverse backgrounds to an asset-based approach that recognizes and builds upon
the strengths and cultural resources of all students." (p 107). Participant E said “a practice I have
to implement CRT in my classroom is self reflection, I have to be really aware of who I am as a
person and how that influences my decisions and judgements…I can see a student's behavior as
an insult to me or I can see it as an ask for help from me depending on how I look at things.”
A culturally responsive curriculum is meaningful because it promotes inclusivity,
improves student engagement and achievement, and promotes student empathy and
understanding. By valuing and incorporating students' diverse cultural backgrounds into the
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learning process, teachers can create a more equitable and meaningful learning environment for
all students.
Collaboration and Partnership
Collaboration among teachers is a school-wide practice that can also promote culturally
responsive practices. When teachers collaborate to share ideas, resources, and best practices, they
can improve their teaching practices and incorporate diverse perspectives into their lesson plans.
Collaboration can involve creating lesson plans, sharing teaching strategies, and engaging in
ongoing professional development. Meyer et al. (2022) explore the relationship between
principal leadership, teacher collaboration, and teachers' collective efficacy. The authors
investigate whether principal leadership has a direct effect on teacher collaboration or whether
the relationship is mediated by teachers' collective efficacy. The authors find that there is a
positive relationship between principal leadership and teacher collaboration. They note that "the
results show that principal leadership positively influences teacher collaboration" (p. 11). The
authors argue that principal leadership can create a school culture that values and promotes
collaboration among teachers. This means that when teachers feel confident in their ability to
work collaboratively, they are more likely to engage in collaborative practices. The authors argue
that "principals need to create a school culture that values and promotes collaboration among
teachers" and that "principals should also foster teachers' collective efficacy" (p 12). By doing so,
schools can create a collaborative and supportive learning environment that benefits both
teachers and students.
Principals who provide supportive leadership can positively influence teacher
collaboration. Supportive leadership can involve providing resources and support to teachers,
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creating a positive school culture, and promoting a shared vision for the school. The participants
of this study also alluded to the importance of principal support. Participant B said, “She is
always there if we need help in the hallways and in classrooms” and Participant A gave an
example of their principal’s support during a recent coaching meeting, “she encouraged me to
use a different book that was more relevant but also helped me to be sure that it was grade level
appropriate by showing me resources like achievethecore.com where I can look at the Lexile
levels and text complexity. This (resource) helped me to be sure that I am teaching culturally
responsive material but also that it is rigorous and meets the standard…I never thought to do that
before”.
Additionally shared decision-making can promote teacher collaboration and improve
collective efficacy. When teachers are involved in decision-making processes, they are more
likely to feel valued and invested in the success of the school. Participant A identified a school-
wide practice that their principal implemented was bi-weekly meetings with the leadership team
to review upcoming decisions, “when she has something to plan she invites all of us to the table.
Most of the time we don’t have anything to add, but it feels good to be informed and also a part
of the process. For example, when new hires are made, everyone is invited to the interview and
sees the candidate's resumes. She lets us know that this is our school and that makes me feel
more inclined to teach the way she coaches me to like for instance, implement more restorative
justice practices in my classroom” (Participant A).
The study also found that principals that create opportunities for collaborative planning
time, promote teacher collaboration and improve collective efficacy. By providing time for
teachers to work together to plan lessons and share resources, principals can improve the quality
55
of instruction and promote a collaborative learning environment. Participant H said, “we make
time every week to talk in grade-level teams about how we can support kids with different needs
and high behavior needs. I really benefit from learning from my grade level lead, [grade-level
lead], who helps me improve my class culture and understand kids more because he is from
Oakland and has a real knowledge of our student's cultures”. Principals also promote teacher
collaboration by recognizing and appreciating the collaborative efforts of teachers.
Acknowledging the contributions of individual teachers and collaborative teams, principals can
create a positive school culture that values and promotes collaboration. Participant A said, “I
always feel like my work is recognized like I am respected as a professional and she (the
principal) is really good at keeping us in community with each other and sharing appreciation.
Principal leadership is essential to influence teacher collaboration and teachers' collective
efficacy, including supportive leadership, shared decision-making, collaborative planning time,
and recognition and appreciation. By promoting these practices, principals can create a
collaborative and supportive learning environment that benefits both teachers and students.
Discussion Research Question Two
School leadership also plays a significant role in promoting culturally responsive
practices. When school leaders value and promote cultural responsiveness, they create a culture
encouraging teachers to embrace these practices. This can involve setting policies prioritizing
diversity, equity, and inclusion and providing support and resources to teachers to help them
implement culturally responsive practices.
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In her article "Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching" (2002), Gay highlights the
importance of preparing teachers for culturally responsive teaching. The author argues that
effective culturally responsive teaching requires a shift in thinking from a deficit-based approach
that emphasizes the shortcomings of students from diverse backgrounds to an asset-based
approach that recognizes and builds upon all students' strengths and cultural resources. The
author suggests that teachers engage in self-reflection, seek professional development
opportunities, and build relationships with students and families to prepare teachers for culturally
responsive teaching. Preparing teachers for culturally responsive teaching requires a commitment
to ongoing learning and growth. Culturally responsive teaching is not a one-time event but an
ongoing reflection and adaptation process. Teachers must be willing to challenge their
assumptions and biases and engage in ongoing learning and growth to meet the changing needs
of their students. School leadership is critical in creating a culture that values and promotes
culturally responsive practices. When school leaders prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion,
they create a supportive environment encouraging teachers to embrace these practices. This
includes setting policies that promote culturally responsive teaching, providing resources and
support to teachers, and engaging in ongoing professional development.
One of the key ways that school leadership can promote culturally responsive practices is
by setting policies that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. This can include policies that
ensure that students from diverse backgrounds have access to high-quality education and that
teachers are held accountable for creating inclusive learning environments. School leaders create
a culture that values and promotes culturally responsive practices by setting policies that promote
equity and inclusion.
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School leaders can also provide resources and support to teachers to help them implement
culturally responsive practices. This can include providing access to professional development
opportunities, such as workshops and training sessions, focusing on culturally responsive
teaching. It can also involve providing teachers access to resources, such as books, videos, and
other materials, promoting cultural responsiveness.
Another important way that school leaders can promote culturally responsive practices is
by engaging their teaching staff in ongoing professional development. School leaders and
teachers can develop the knowledge and skills needed to create a supportive school culture that
values and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion by participating in workshops and other
training opportunities that focus on cultural responsiveness. This can include developing
strategies for creating inclusive learning environments, building relationships with students and
families from diverse backgrounds, and supporting teachers in their efforts to implement
culturally responsive practices.
Culturally responsive teaching and leadership is an approach that values and promotes
students' diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences. Preparing teachers for culturally
responsive teaching requires a deep understanding of students' cultural backgrounds and
experiences, a shift in thinking from a deficit-based to an asset-based approach, and a
commitment to ongoing learning and growth. Teachers can create inclusive learning
environments that value diversity and promote equity by engaging in self-reflection, seeking
professional development opportunities, and building relationships with students and families.
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Summary
The teachers in this study highlighted the importance of feedback opportunities,
professional development, and modeling of desired behavior by the principal. School leadership
plays a critical role in promoting culturally responsive practices. School leaders can create a
culture that values and promotes culturally responsive teaching by setting policies, dedicating
team time to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, providing resources and support to
teachers, and engaging in ongoing professional development. This helps create a more inclusive
and equitable learning environment that benefits all students. There are clear indicators of what
leadership behaviors and practices facilitated a robust use of culturally responsive teaching
practices:
1. The principal shows and models how to be culturally responsive
2. The principal provides time, resources, and training on culturally responsive practices
3. The principal demonstrates a commitment to culturally responsive practices and elicits
feedback from teachers
4. The principal attends to issues of Race and Racism
5. The principal provides coaching resources that honor teachers’ expertise and provides
resources for improvement
Chapter Five: Discussion
This study aims to identify teachers' perceptions of how their principal sets the conditions
for culturally responsive teaching. This chapter discusses the themes found in this study and
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implementation guidelines for principals or aspiring principals. This chapter concludes by
discussing the study's limitations and implications for further research.
This chapter contains a discussion to answer the following research questions:
(1) What are teacher's perceptions of their principal's culturally responsive practices; and
(2) What school-based practices have teachers perceived influenced their culturally responsive
teaching practices?
Implications for Practice
This study revealed vital steps principals could take to create a school culture that
develops teachers' capacity to implement culturally responsive practices. Teachers in this study
highlighted the importance of frequent and effective professional development, encouragement
to build self-efficacy, and collaboration. The findings of this study indicated three themes: (1)
Culturally responsive principals lead by example, (2) culturally responsive principals are
visionaries, and (3) culturally responsive principals show empathy and are responsive.
Theme One: Culturally Responsive Principals Lead by Example
Culturally responsive principals are vital in creating inclusive and equitable learning
environments. They lead by example, demonstrating their commitment to creating a safe and
welcoming environment for all students, regardless of their background or cultural identity.
Culturally responsive principals recognize and celebrate the diversity of their school community.
They understand that each student brings unique experiences and cultural backgrounds to the
classroom and work to create an environment that honors and respects these differences (Gay,
2010). Culturally responsive principals prioritize building relationships with students and
60
families from diverse backgrounds and understand that building trust and rapport with students
and families is essential for creating a positive and inclusive school culture (Solorzano &
Solorzano, 1995). Culturally responsive principals demonstrate their willingness to listen to and
understand the perspectives of students and families from diverse backgrounds and model the
respectful and empathetic behavior they expect from others in the school community.
Additionally, culturally responsive principals make a concerted effort to recruit and retain
teachers from diverse backgrounds. They recognize the importance of having a teaching staff
that reflects the diversity of the student population, and they actively work to create a supportive
environment for teachers of color (Nieto, 2013; Ladson-Billings, 1994). This may involve
providing professional development opportunities focusing on culturally responsive teaching,
creating mentoring programs for new teachers, and implementing recruitment strategies targeting
candidates from diverse backgrounds.
Finally, culturally responsive principals model inclusive and equitable practices in their
day-to-day interactions with students and staff. For example, they may ensure that all students
have equal access to resources and opportunities, regardless of their background or cultural
identity. They may also create policies and procedures sensitive to the needs of students from
diverse backgrounds, such as providing translation services for non-native English speakers or
implementing culturally responsive disciplinary practices that consider each student's unique
cultural context.
Culturally responsive principal practices can look like this:
Modeling cultural responsiveness: Principals can demonstrate their commitment to cultural
responsiveness by engaging with students and teachers from diverse backgrounds and creating a
61
welcoming and inclusive school environment (Madhlangobe & Gordon, 2012) . For instance,
Principals should be present in the hallways, frequently meet with students to review their
academic progress and know students by name. Principals should meet frequently with students
and teachers to review student progress and teacher development. Principals should create
teacher coaching structures that focus on culturally responsive teaching. Principals should also
ensure that the grounds and buildings are well maintained so that students have a sense of pride
in their school and that representations of people of color permeate the hallways and classrooms
(Khalifa, 2012).
Providing professional development: Principals can provide professional development
opportunities for teachers on culturally responsive practices, including training on cultural
competence, implicit bias, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Teacher self-efficacy refers to a
teacher's belief in their ability to impact student learning and achieve desired outcomes in the
classroom. It is the confidence that teachers have in their abilities to plan and execute practical
lessons, manage classroom behavior, and support student achievement. Teachers develop self-
efficacy through planning, preparation, and professional development (Coady, Harper, & de
Jong, 2011; Lopez, 2011).
Encouraging cultural celebrations: Principals can encourage and support cultural celebrations
in the school, such as cultural heritage months, to promote understanding and appreciation of
different cultures. Cultural celebrations should involve parents and the community so students
see their cultural wealth represented in their school celebrations. Principals can plan career days
where students invite their family members to participate and local colleges and community
organizations participate in the event. Principals can encourage teachers to celebrate students in
62
frequent assemblies where the cultures of the student body are highlighted and celebrated, and
connected to the school's core values. For instance, in the black American community, a value
that can be observed is the idea of Sankofa, or reflecting on the past to create a better future
(Temple, 2010). School leaders may consider incorporating recognition opportunities for
students who show this value in school.
Implementing culturally responsive policies: Principals can promote cultural responsiveness
and equity, such as language support programs, anti-discrimination policies, restorative justice,
and inclusive curriculum materials (Khalifa, 2012). For example, principals may ensure an
inclusive, push-in model for special education, provide before and after school tutoring, schedule
frequent parent meetings that are flexible to meet the needs of the parent, encourage parental
involvement in the school by volunteering to coach or support sports programming, and
developing an accelerated reader program that assigns mentors to struggling readers.
Building relationships with families and communities: Principals can build strong
relationships with families and communities from diverse backgrounds to understand better and
support their students' needs. Principals can establish frequent student celebrations and events
like talent shows, essay contest debates, and academic growth celebrations. Principals can
motivate parents to visit classrooms and volunteer to support school events and clubs and allow
parents to come into the campus to drop off their children in the morning and to come to the
school at dismissal to pick up their students.
By leading by example, principals can create a culture of cultural responsiveness in their
schools and promote more equitable learning environments for all students. Principals can
63
demonstrate their commitment to cultural responsiveness through their actions and decisions and
inspire teachers and students to do the same.
Theme Two: Culturally Responsive Principals are Visionaries
Teachers believe that principals can communicate their vision of culturally responsive
pedagogy in several ways:
Articulating the vision: Principals can clearly and effectively communicate their vision of
culturally responsive pedagogy through written and verbal communication, such as school
newsletters, staff meetings, and parent-teacher conferences. All written communication should
articulate a clear vision that incorporates the importance of honoring the community's cultural
wealth. Assemblies, meetings, and engagements should always start with this vision, which
should be visible to all as they enter the school.
Providing examples: Principals can provide concrete examples of culturally responsive
pedagogy in action, such as sharing successful classroom practices, highlighting the
achievements of culturally diverse students, and showcasing the cultural diversity of the school
community. For example, principals may share in weekly professional development a culturally
responsive practice of the week in which teachers see the action and plan to incorporate the
action into their practice. This would require the leader to have frequent opportunities to observe
teaching and the leader to continuously improve their expertise in culturally responsive practices
so that they know what to look for, celebrate, and coach around.
Encouraging collaboration: Principals can encourage teachers and staff to collaborate to
develop and implement culturally responsive pedagogy and engage in ongoing professional
64
development and reflection. Principals can develop a professional learning community or PLC
model where teachers frequently discuss student strengths and unpack their lessons and
curriculum together to develop shared practices and alignment to best serve their students
(Alhanachi et al., 2021).
Fostering a culture of inclusivity: Principals can create a school culture that values and
supports cultural diversity and encourages teachers and students to embrace and celebrate their
differences. Creating a model of inclusion for special education is an example that principals can
use to support a vision of culturally responsive practices. Instead of having students pulled out of
class for specialized services, ed-specialists should push into class to support students with IEPs
so that their school experience mirrors their peers and students with disabilities are not
marginalized within the school community (Page et al., 2022).
Evaluating progress: Principals can regularly evaluate the progress of their vision for culturally
responsive pedagogy, using data and feedback from teachers, students, and families to inform
their strategies and make adjustments as needed. Principals should collect frequent survey data
from all stakeholders that measure students’ academic progress and their feelings of belonging,
safety, and joy in school. In the article “Measuring Joy: A social justice issue,” Soutter argues
that “in an era of test-based accountability, the mere decision to measure things like engagement,
curiosity, and joy sends a strong signal to teachers and parents that these things matter” (Soutter,
2022). It is not enough to measure SEL components like kindness and joy; principals must
communicate to all stakeholders that their feedback is used to improve the school climate.
Principals should hold engagement events in which feedback results are reviewed, and the school
leaders talk about their reflections and changes resulting from the feedback.
65
By communicating their vision of culturally responsive pedagogy, principals can inspire
and motivate their staff to adopt these practices and to create a more inclusive and equitable
learning environment for all students. Effective communication is critical to building a shared
understanding of cultural responsiveness's importance and creating a supportive culture that
values diversity and equity.
Theme Three: Culturally Responsive Principals Show Empathy and are Responsive
Teachers believe that principals can show empathy and understanding towards their students and
staff by:
Listening actively: Principals can demonstrate their empathy and understanding by actively
listening to the perspectives and experiences of students, families, and staff from diverse
backgrounds. While principals should hold formal methods to receive feedback from
stakeholders, like surveys, it is equally crucial to hold space for informal feedback by being
present during arrival and dismissal to great families and engaging in informal conversation.
Principals should try to be present during transitions, lunch, and arrival to greet and talk to
students and teachers. Informal listening allows principals to assess where problems may arise
and to model for teachers how they can communicate that the voices of students and parents
matter.
Building relationships: Principals can build relationships with students, families, and staff by
getting to know them on a personal level and by showing an interest in their cultures,
backgrounds, and experiences. Principals can support sports programs, develop clubs and
activities that students request, and informally engage with students and families. Principals can
66
make an active effort to remember details about students and their families. Principals may also
consider allowing families who have small businesses to support events. For instance, if a family
has a catering business, the principal can choose to hire that family for the next teacher luncheon.
Valuing diverse perspectives: Principals can demonstrate their empathy and understanding by
valuing their students' and staff's diverse perspectives and experiences and creating opportunities
for them to share their perspectives. Creating structures for teachers to give feedback on events,
professional development, school culture, and disciplinary responses communicates to teachers
that they are valued and that their expertise is essential to the leader (Viloria, 2019).
Responding to cultural needs: Principals can respond to the cultural needs of their students and
staff by providing resources and support to help them feel valued and respected, such as
language support programs, cultural celebrations, and anti-discrimination policies.
Principals can create a more inclusive and culturally responsive learning environment by
demonstrating empathy and understanding. Empathy is culturally responsive because it involves
recognizing and valuing the unique perspectives and experiences of individuals from diverse
cultural backgrounds and responding to their needs in a culturally sensitive and supportive
manner. This culturally responsive empathy helps to create a supportive and inclusive school
culture that values diversity and promotes equity for all students.

Limitations of the Study
This study is limited by the number of participants and the limited location of the study.
The study was conducted by interviewing teachers who all work within the same network of
charter schools. The project may also be limited by the underlying assumption that all school
67
teachers in urban settings feel the social obligation to self-assess their practices as "culturally
responsive" due to the socio-political context in which the school resides. Principals and teachers
may be reluctant to discuss how their practices, behaviors, or mindsets must be aligned with
culturally responsive pedagogy.
Future Research
Future research could include studying principals and their daily practices to incorporate
culturally responsive practices, such as their yearly scope and sequence of professional
development, daily schedules, and strategies to develop teacher efficacy in culturally responsive
practices. This study assessed teachers' perceptions of their principals' culturally responsive
practices, and further research focused on principals could further develop the findings of this
study.
Further research on principals and their daily practices could help to identify effective
strategies for incorporating culturally responsive practices in schools. By examining the types of
professional development offered by principals and their effectiveness in promoting culturally
responsive practices, researchers could gain insight into how to improve professional
development programs for teachers. One area of focus could be the yearly scope and sequence of
professional development.
Another area of focus could be principals' daily schedules and the strategies they use to
develop teacher efficacy in culturally responsive practices. This could include examining how
principals allocate their time throughout the day and the types of activities they engage in to
promote culturally responsive practices. Additionally, researchers could explore how principals
68
provide ongoing support and coaching to teachers to help them implement culturally responsive
practices in the classroom.
Finally, by studying principals and their daily practices, researchers could better
understand how principals promote a culture of inclusivity and equity in their schools. This could
include examining how principals build relationships with students and families from diverse
backgrounds, prioritize recruiting and retaining teachers from diverse backgrounds, and model
inclusive and equitable practices in their day-to-day interactions with students and staff.
Overall, further research focused on principals could build upon the findings of this study
by providing insight into the specific practices and strategies that effective principals use to
promote culturally responsive practices in their schools. By identifying these best practices,
researchers can inform the development of effective policies and programs that support the
creation of inclusive and equitable learning environments.

Conclusions
The role of a principal in today's educational landscape is multifaceted and challenging.
As the lead developer of school culture, they play a vital role in shaping the learning
environment and setting the tone for the school's academic progress. In addition to monitoring
academic progress, principals are responsible for managing various tasks and responsibilities,
including budgeting, hiring, building maintenance, and teacher development. They are also
tasked with ensuring that their schools are safe spaces for all students, especially those from
diverse backgrounds.
69
Culturally responsive practices are one way for principals to ensure both academic
quality and social-emotional connection in their schools. By affirming and using students'
cultures and identities as a driving method for learning, principals can create an inclusive and
equitable learning environment that supports the success of all students. While cultural
responsiveness is a well-researched framework, there remains a need to help school leaders
understand how to implement culturally responsive leadership practices in conjunction with all
of their other responsibilities and duties.
The study examined teachers' perceptions of their principals' practices and identified
some steps principals can take to develop their culturally responsive leadership capacity. These
steps include prioritizing professional development opportunities focusing on culturally
responsive teaching, building relationships with students and families from diverse backgrounds,
recruiting and retaining teachers, and modeling inclusive and equitable practices in their day-to-
day interactions with students and staff.
Ultimately, a school's success rests on its principal's effectiveness. As the lead developer
of school culture and academic progress monitoring, principals must embrace culturally
responsive practices and work to create an inclusive and equitable learning environment for all
students. Doing so helps ensure that all students reach their full potential and succeed
academically, socially, and emotionally.

70
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Creator Baldridge, Latora Priska (author)

Core Title Culturally responsive principal leadership and its influence on teachers in urban settings.

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Degree Conferral Date 2023-05

Publication Date 06/13/2023

Defense Date 06/13/2023

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