Activism in Practice: The Influence of a Rural School Leader’s Beliefs and Practices in Disrupting Historical Patterns of Underachievement in Traditionally Marginalized Students

Abstract

Despite the fact that rural communities across the United States are rapidly diversifying (Fusarelli & Militello, 2012), little research has examined the beliefs and practices of successful rural educational leaders, specifically in high poverty schools and districts where traditionally marginalized students demonstrate improving learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs and practices of a rural educational leader whose school or district met established study criteria for a high poverty, high performing school, in which traditionally marginalized students demonstrate increasingly productive learning outcomes. Interviews with the leader were conducted, and the data were coded and analyzed using a constant comparative method (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).The following research question guided the study:What impact do the beliefs and practices of a rural school district leader have on the learning outcomes of traditionally marginalized students in the Rocky Mountain West?The findings from this study contribute to the paucity of research on culturally responsive rural superintendent-principals. Identifying the rural leader’s beliefs and practices provides support for educational leaders who serve in that uniquely rural dual role, about which very little has been written. It informs leadership preparation programs, graduate students, researchers, and policy makers about the need for nuanced culturally responsive training for rural educational leaders.

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“…Underachievement merupakan kesenjangan akut antara potensi prestasi (expected achievment) dan prestasi yang diraih (actual achievment) (EVeas et al, 2017;Mofield et al, 2016). Underachiever merupakan anak atau siswa yang memiliki potensi tinggi tetapi prestasi yang mereka tampilkan berada dibawah potensi yang dimiliki (Hesbol et al, 2020). Secara operasional, underachievement dapat didefinisikan sebagai kesenjangan skor tes inteligensi dan hasil yang diperoleh siswa.…”

Breaking the ice: educator leaders' entré into equity and inclusion leadership in a rural high school

“…Funding deficits further limit the number and variation of course offerings to which rural students have access, thus producing "education deserts." Education deserts include advanced placement (e.g., there are half as many advanced math classes as in urban), STEM, ELL, music, and art classes; exacerbated by limited and irregular access to technologies (Hesbol et al, 2020;NASBE, 2016;Tieken, 2020). Moreover, schools also serve the community and, consequently, link family groups to these services.…”

“…For instance, transportation costs are high due to district size and low density, labor costs per student are higher due to the small student population, and the absence of educational services require supplementing (DeYoung, 1987). The isolation of small communities limits students' access to school support specialists, such as psychologists, social workers, and nurses, as these may be shared across schools or districts (Hesbol et al, 2020). Challenges that are unique to rural schooling center on the remoteness of the schools and districts and contribute to the "layers within layers of discrimination."…”

“…Facilitating educators to be change agents requires leadership support and contextualized strategies (Angelis & Wilcox, 2011;Vaughn & Saul, 2013). Professional development opportunities can be limited, but networked communities, cooperative educational services, and hiring and retaining rural educators maximize resources (Carlson, 2012;Cowan & Hensley, 2012;Hesbol et al, 2020). Successful schools collaborate with the community, involving them in curriculum discussions (Angelis & Wilcox, 2011).…”

“…Place-conscious practices connect rural interests with economic development and promote farm-to-school programs (Howley, 2004;McHenry-Sorber & Budge, 2018;Schafft, 2016). Rural schools should incorporate local history and resources into the curriculum and engage in culturally relevant practices (Hesbol et al, 2020;Klar & Huggins, 2020). Community involvement helps address curriculum failures for marginalized students (Dinero, 2004).…”