Blazing New Trails - Connexions

The Effective Practices and Beliefs of School Principals in High Achieving Hispanic Majority Mid-Level Schools 133
7. Hold themselves and teachers accountable to meeting the needs of all their
students.
8. Create campus goals based on student needs identified by data; clearly
communicate the goals to students, staff, and community; and also make clear
the plan for meeting those goals.
9. Be visible in the process of meeting the needs of all students on the campus.
CONCLUSION
This qualitative study investigated the critical issue of effective practices and beliefs
of principals in high-achieving majority Hispanic mid-level schools. Thus, principals who
participated in the study were queried about their beliefs and strategies for Hispanic students
which resulted in their schools being successful. Principals rarely noted that they did anything
“unique” for the Hispanic students alone. Instead, they each voiced a commitment to do what
was best for all students. Thus, they first identified individual needs, and then met those
needs. In this way, principals effectively met the needs of Hispanic students as well as all
students on their campuses. In essence, they established a culture where the Hispanic students
were successful and noted that these beliefs and strategies helped them be successful with
students who represented other races and cultures also. This did not mean that they treated all
students alike. Instead, students were, as one principal said, “supported as they needed to be
supported whatever their race, ethnicity, or SES.”
Hawley and Nieto (2010) challenged educators to establish a school culture that
promotes supportive school conditions. This “race- and ethnicity-responsive school culture” is
a “belief shared by teachers, administrators, and the school staff that they have both the ability
and the responsibility to significantly influence student learning, regardless of students’
backgrounds” (p. 68). These ten principals adhered to this challenge. They valued the
importance of communication with all stakeholders, including the students themselves, a core
component of the successful principals (Arnold, Perry, Watson, Minatra, & Swartz, 2006).
These ten principals invested time and effort to recruit, retain and motivate strong teachers
which influenced student academic success (Davis, Darling-Hammond, LaPointe &
Meyerson, 2005). The importance of building relationships with the students and recognizing
and then meeting their needs was addressed by every principal (Hawley & Nieto, 2010). They
were committed to the belief that all students could achieve which allowed the principals and
teachers to explore strategies to help underachieving students become more successful
(Burke, Baca, Picus, & Jones, 2002; Hawley & Nieto, 2010).
Further, principals in this study emphasized the importance of keeping “the main
thing, the main thing” for everyone (Covey, Merrill, & Merrill, 1995, p. 75). In other words,
these principals supported teachers and students in focusing on the importance of academic
success in school for all students. These ten passionate principals were involved, engaged, and
led by example. Thus, they were able to transcend educational, cultural and socioeconomic
barriers to support the students in achieving academic success.
REFERENCES
Altshuler, S., & Schmautz, T. (2006, January). No Hispanic student left behind: The consequences of high stakes
testing. Children and Schools, 28(1), 5-14. Retrieved from Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
database.