Culturally Responsive School Leadership

TLDR

Culturally responsive school leadership is increasingly recognized as vital for culturally responsive education, reform, and social justice. The review offers a framework to guide efforts that transform the entire school environment to meet the needs of minoritized students. The authors organize the review around key strands—critical self‑awareness, teacher preparation, school environment, and community advocacy—then delineate specific CRSL behaviors and five community‑specific expressions of culturally responsive leadership. The review concludes that CRSL holds ongoing promise and offers significant implications for practice and policy.

Abstract

Culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL) has become important to research on culturally responsive education, reform, and social justice education. This comprehensive review provides a framework for the expanding body of literature that seeks to make not only teaching, but rather the entire school environment, responsive to the schooling needs of minoritized students. Based on the literature, we frame the discussion around clarifying strands—critical self-awareness, CRSL and teacher preparation, CRSL and school environments, and CRSL and community advocacy. We then outline specific CRSL behaviors that center inclusion, equity, advocacy, and social justice in school. Pulling from literature on leadership, social justice, culturally relevant schooling, and students/communities of color, we describe five specific expressions of CRSL found in unique communities. Finally, we reflect on the continued promise and implications of CRSL.