{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/109795"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/109795","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Experiences in the Principalship for African American Women","abstract":"The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions African American female principals hold regarding the challenges and opportunities they experienced when seeking and holding administrative positions in a K-12 public school setting. The interview protocol contained open-ended questions and was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with six participants. Findings indicated that when seeking the principalship, African American women inspired to become principals, obtained the required credentials through district-sponsored cohorts and university programs, were knowledgeable of the required skills, felt mentors and networking were most helpful in obtaining a principalship, and noted that as they served as principals, they took advantage of opportunities to serve their school community. They reported that as they sought and served as principals, stereotypes about African American women were unique challenges and their experiences, opportunities, and challenges were different than those of their peers. Implications from the study indicate school district leaders can encourage African American women to pursue the principalship by promoting positive relationships with other administrators and supervisors, developing mentorships, and promoting district-sponsored programs. District leaders must also maintain awareness and combat the stereotypes faced by African American women as they seek and hold administrative positions.","abstract_html":"The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions African American female principals hold regarding the challenges and opportunities they experienced when seeking and holding administrative positions in a K-12 public school setting. The interview protocol contained open-ended questions and was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with six participants. Findings indicated that when seeking the principalship, African American women inspired to become principals, obtained the required credentials through district-sponsored cohorts and university programs, were knowledgeable of the required skills, felt mentors and networking were most helpful in obtaining a principalship, and noted that as they served as principals, they took advantage of opportunities to serve their school community. They reported that as they sought and served as principals, stereotypes about African American women were unique challenges and their experiences, opportunities, and challenges were different than those of their peers. Implications from the study indicate school district leaders can encourage African American women to pursue the principalship by promoting positive relationships with other administrators and supervisors, developing mentorships, and promoting district-sponsored programs. District leaders must also maintain awareness and combat the stereotypes faced by African American women as they seek and hold administrative positions.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Edmunds-Heard, Terri Lynn"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Doctor of Education","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership and Policy Studies","degree_department":"Counselor Education","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Brinkmann, Jodie Lynn"],"committee_members":["Gratto, John Robert","Brent, Eric Von","Cash, Carol S."],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-05-03","date_published":"2022-05-03","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:11Z","subjects":["African American feminist epistemology","double jeopardy","intersectionality","racial discrimination","stereotypes"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:34269"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:34269","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/109795","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Brinkmann, Jodie Lynn"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Gratto, John Robert","Brent, Eric Von","Cash, Carol S."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Counselor Education"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Edmunds-Heard, Terri Lynn"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2022-05-04T08:00:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-05-04T08:00:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2022-05-03"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership and Policy Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["African American feminist epistemology","double jeopardy","intersectionality","racial discrimination","stereotypes"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:34269"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/109795"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions African American female principals hold regarding the challenges and opportunities they experienced when seeking and holding administrative positions in a K-12 public school setting. The interview protocol contained open-ended questions and was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with six participants. Findings indicated that when seeking the principalship, African American women inspired to become principals, obtained the required credentials through district-sponsored cohorts and university programs, were knowledgeable of the required skills, felt mentors and networking were most helpful in obtaining a principalship, and noted that as they served as principals, they took advantage of opportunities to serve their school community. They reported that as they sought and served as principals, stereotypes about African American women were unique challenges and their experiences, opportunities, and challenges were different than those of their peers. Implications from the study indicate school district leaders can encourage African American women to pursue the principalship by promoting positive relationships with other administrators and supervisors, developing mentorships, and promoting district-sponsored programs. District leaders must also maintain awareness and combat the stereotypes faced by African American women as they seek and hold administrative positions."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions African American female principals hold regarding the challenges and opportunities they experienced when seeking and holding administrative positions in a K-12 public school setting. The target population was six African American female principals serving in elementary, middle, and high school settings with differing levels of administrative experience, diversity, and socioeconomic status. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the purpose of uncovering and capturing the perspectives of African American female principals as they seek and serve in the principalship. The analysis of participants' experiences provides a lens district leaders can use to recognize the opportunities of African American female leadership and to address and dismantle the challenges African American female leaders face as they seek and serve in the principalship. Results of the data analysis showed the African American female principals perceived that district-sponsored licensure cohort programs and mentorships were the most helpful in obtaining a principalship and they took advantage of the opportunities as they served in the principalship. Negative stereotypes about African American women were a challenge and they perceived there were differences in seeking and holding the principalship in comparison to their peers. Findings from this study indicate more research is needed on the perspectives of African American female principals as they seek and serve in the principalship in K-12 public schools."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Doctor of Education"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Experiences in the Principalship for African American Women"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Brinkmann, Jodie Lynn"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Gratto, John Robert","Brent, Eric Von","Cash, Carol S."],"dc:contributor.department":["Counselor Education"],"dc:creator":["Edmunds-Heard, Terri Lynn"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2022-05-04T08:00:12Z"],"dc:date.available":["2022-05-04T08:00:12Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2022-05-03"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions African American female principals hold regarding the challenges and opportunities they experienced when seeking and holding administrative positions in a K-12 public school setting. 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Implications from the study indicate school district leaders can encourage African American women to pursue the principalship by promoting positive relationships with other administrators and supervisors, developing mentorships, and promoting district-sponsored programs. District leaders must also maintain awareness and combat the stereotypes faced by African American women as they seek and hold administrative positions."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions African American female principals hold regarding the challenges and opportunities they experienced when seeking and holding administrative positions in a K-12 public school setting. The target population was six African American female principals serving in elementary, middle, and high school settings with differing levels of administrative experience, diversity, and socioeconomic status. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the purpose of uncovering and capturing the perspectives of African American female principals as they seek and serve in the principalship. The analysis of participants' experiences provides a lens district leaders can use to recognize the opportunities of African American female leadership and to address and dismantle the challenges African American female leaders face as they seek and serve in the principalship. Results of the data analysis showed the African American female principals perceived that district-sponsored licensure cohort programs and mentorships were the most helpful in obtaining a principalship and they took advantage of the opportunities as they served in the principalship. Negative stereotypes about African American women were a challenge and they perceived there were differences in seeking and holding the principalship in comparison to their peers. 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