Superintendent and Equity Director Perspectives on the Equity Director Position in Suburban School Districts

The murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd in 2020 renewed efforts to address long-standing inequality within American society (M. Lewis et al., 2023; E. Meyer et al., 2022). Some school districts responded to these demands by increasing attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. These efforts sometimes included hiring equity directors to advance DEI priorities (M. Lewis et al., 2023; Matschiner, in press). However, districts had little information to draw from either the empirical and/or professional literatures to inform decisions regarding these roles. Superintendents set conditions for change within a district and are key players in establishing and supporting equity director positions. Yet little is known about the factors that influence superintendents’ conceptualization and decision-making involving these positions. There is also a paucity of research regarding the role that superintendents play in creating the necessary conditions (before and after hiring) for equity directors to succeed in their roles. To begin to address this limitation in the literature and profession, this study examines internal and external factors that influence superintendents’ conceptualization, establishment, and support of equity director positions within their districts. Drawing on racialized organizations theory, the study explores the impact that internal and external factors play on decision making regarding the equity director role. Qualitative analyses of interview responses from 15 superintendents and 19 equity directors showed that superintendents relied on their understanding of their community’s needs and on colleagues in and out of their districts to inform their conceptualization and operationalization of the equity director’s roles and responsibilities. Moreover, internal factors like organizational and budgetary constraints and the stance of the school board; as well as external factors like the suburban context, and political and community dynamics, influenced decisions to establish and operationalize equity director positions. Internal and external factors impacted the structure of the position and the experiences of those hired to serve in these positions. Equity directors and superintendents reported wrestling with the complexities of navigating equity work in dynamic political conditions within a racialized context. Participants reported that equity work was unlike other change work that educators engaged in and required attentiveness to the dynamics of race (McCambly and Colyvas, 2023).

Grantor dc:publisher

Temple University. Libraries

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Muniz, Dayna B

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Estrada, Armando X.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• McGinley, Christopher W.
• Irby, Decoteau J.
• Brandt, Carol B.

• Educational leadership
• Educational administration
• Equity
• Equity directors
• Equity leadership
• Organizational theory
• Racialized organizations
• Superintendents

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/10690

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/10690