This qualitative study aims to explore the lived experiences of Black principals, focusing on the intersectionality of race and educational leadership. Through purposive sampling, the study delves into the challenges encountered by Black principals, including limited preparation provided by principal programs, racial biases undermining their…

Culturally proficient leaders model cultural competence for the entire school community. They create an environment where students from diverse backgrounds feel valued, respected, and safe. When students feel a sense of belonging and affirmation, they are more likely to engage in their learning and perform better academically. Hence, this…

As schools become more racially, socioeconomically, and linguistically diverse, there are increasing calls for educational leaders to be more representative of student demographics and be explicitly prepared to advance equity through culturally responsive/relevant leadership practices. We discuss how applying an equity lens to three key content…

In this case, Mary, a cisgender White principal, is struggling in a contentious school climate with a mostly White staff and a racially divided school community. A lunchroom incident highlighted the unaddressed conflict among students, families, and the community that can no longer be ignored. Her unresponsive leadership raises questions about the…

Preparation and professional development can help principals be more effective leaders, but little research has examined what specific approaches are most useful. A study of 462 California principals and the teachers and students in their schools shows that high-quality preservice preparation for principals is associated with stronger teacher…

Disparity exists in disciplinary actions taken toward Black students compared to White students in the public schools of a county school district in a Southwest U.S. state. Successful school leadership practices are needed to minimize the disproportionality of Black students being expelled, suspended, and routed to the school-to-prison pipeline.…

This report provides a brief overview of Culturally Responsive Restorative Practices, an innovative framework intended to address discipline disparities and improve school climate and culture at ten Austin Independent School District (AISD) schools. This work is part of a 5-year, $3.5 million Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant from the…

Trends across the United States, Florida and Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) indicate that over the last decade, not only are teachers leaving the profession much sooner than in previous years, but there were also fewer teachers entering the profession. The Duval Schools teacher retention rate for the district is approximately 84%. However,…

Across the United States, schools are implementing Restorative Practices (RP) to improve school climate and address disparities in discipline. The scope of such RP initiatives can remain ambiguous to school leaders. Given the need for greater clarity about RP initiatives, the current study sought to identify the varying components of RP…

This review of the literature focuses first on the common reasons for the need for mentoring (professional development, changing roles, principal shortage, under representation of women, and barriers) and continues with a definition and description of mentoring. Finally, the current status of mentoring is summarized followed by a discussion of the…

This guide is designed to help principals provide better services to English language learners whom they suspect might have a disability. It provides recommendations from the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) for ensuring appropriate referral and services to these students. The first part contains self-assessment information that…