Blazing New Trails - Connexions

Preparing Future School Leaders to Foster Site Level Cultural Proficiency 303
organization with almost 30,000 students while the other, with two sites, was a smaller district
with approximately 6,000 students. Both had 85–90% students of color (with Hispanic being
the main group) as well as a 35-60% ELL (English language learner) population and a
socioeconomically disadvantaged (free and reduced lunch) population that ranged from 20–
100% of the total student body. Principals at the sites had served at least two years, and most
had served six or more. Staffs ranged from 20-30 classroom teachers and specialists.
Data Sources
Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered by the graduate students. Staffs
completed Bustamante et al.’s (2009) survey on aspects of cultural competency at their site.
This instrument used a Likert scale and asked respondents to comment on: the mission and
vision, curriculum, student interaction and leadership, teaching and learning, parents and
community, conflict management, and assessments. Principals participated in a semi-structured
interview of 30-45 minutes. They were asked about their experiences with and approach to
diversity, roles played by different groups on campus in promoting cultural proficiency, and
ways in which they build this capacity in others. During a two to three hour school visit,
observations were conducted in meetings, classrooms and common spaces, and artifacts were
provided by the principal in order to gather evidence of cultural competence. Teachers, support
staff and parents participated in 30–45 minutes of role-based focus groups. Participants were
asked about their perceptions regarding the benefits and challenges of being at a diverse
school, inclusion and voice of students and families, leadership related to cultural proficiency,
and ways in which the site could continue to improve services. All interviews and focus groups
were taped with the participants’ permission. Participants were asked to confirm data gathered
through member checking. A check list was developed for analyzing documents and other
artifacts collected at the site during the walk through. This checklist was based on the cultural
competency survey. Researchers also took field notes.
Format of the Class Sessions
In three face-to-face sessions during the fall 2010 semester, teams prepared for each step
of the research project. In the first session, students reviewed the research design and discussed
the plan for the semester. They also provided input on instruments designed by the professor.
They formed research teams of five to six members and discussed how they would work
together. They revisited cultural proficiency literature they had read in the research methods
course. In the second session, teams prepared for data collection. The professor led them
through a number of role plays that provided them with skills in facilitating an interview,
leading a focus group, administering a survey, and conducting an observation. At this time,
research teams were assigned to their case schools. Leaders of the three research teams were
asked to contact the principal at their assigned site within a week to schedule: the principal
interview, focus groups, survey administration, and a walk through. It was agreed that only the
team leader would be in contact with the principal in order to streamline communication.
Research teams reviewed the site’s vision and mission as well as other information on the
school’s website. They also examined demographic and performance data through the
California State Department website. Teams were told that data collection could be completed
in a short period of time (one to two visits) or could be stretched out over a couple of months
(one data collection activity each visit) depending on the research teams’ and school’s