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CRITICAL THEORY AND LEADERSHIP PRACTICES
Preservice Principals’ Perceptions of
Culturally Proficient School Leadership
Mack T. Hines IIIPreservice principal programs prepare principals for positions of school leadership (Alford
& Spall, 2001; Hines, 2007). However, few, if any, training programs prepare preservice
principals for providing schools with culturally proficient leadership. To reverse this trend,
preservice principal programs must evaluate preservice principals’ familiarity with cultural
proficiency and culturally proficient school leaders. In this study the researcherinvestigated
preservice principals’ perceptions of the importance of culturally proficient school leadership.
The researcher also focused on preservice principals’ perceptions of their principals’ use of
culturally proficient school leadership. The research questions were:
- What are preservice principals’ perceptions of the most important culturally proficient
practices of school leadership? - What are preservice principals’ perceptions of the frequency of their principals’ uses of
culturally proficient practices of school leadership?
The significance of this focus is twofold. First, schools consist of teachers and students
from various cultures and ethnicities. Principals must be able to accommodate this diversity
through culturally proficient leadership (Riehl, 2000). In particular, they must be able to
create an environment that allows teachers, students, and parents to feel a sense of belonging
to the school. Consequently, preservice principals must be prepared to fulfill these culturally
proficient responsibilities. They should acquire some of these experiences during their
enrollment in preservice principal programs.
Second, principals are the most influential figures in schools (Burns, 2002; Schein, 1992).
They shape the culture and climate of the school. Therefore, aspiring principals must be aware
of the extent to which their principals engage in culturally proficient leadership practices.
They could use this analysis to compare their perceptions of culturally proficient school
leadership with observed practices of culturally proficient school leadership. They may then
develop a better understanding of how to meet the diverse needs of the students, parents, and
teachers.
LITERATURE REVIEW
In Culturally Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders, Lindsey, Roberts, and Terrell
(2005) described the theoretical underpinnings and elements of a culturally proficient school
culture. They described a culturally proficient school culture as “Policies and practices of a
school or the values and behaviors of an individual that enable the school or person to interact
effectively in a culturally diverse environment. Cultural proficiency is reflected in the way a
school treats staff, students, parents, and community.” (p. 146).
Mack T. Hines III, Sam Houston State University