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CRI TICAL THEORY AND LEADERSHIP PRACTICES

The Role of Superintendents in Leading Districts to Cultural Proficiency

Thomas Price and Sandra Harris

According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) (2005), minority students now represent
the majority of students in Texas, but are under-performing their white counterparts. In 2004–05,
white students in Texas achieved a 91% pass rate in reading, while Hispanics scored 77% and
African American students scored 76%. The disparity is even worse in math and science where
White students scored 84% in math and 81% in science, while African American students scored
57% in math and 49% science. Yet, while many school districts are struggling to meet the needs
of the diverse groups of children in their schools, there are school districts in Texas with a
majority minority student population that have received recognition from the TEA as
“Recognized” districts (TEA, 2005). Since the superintendent of a district is ultimately
responsible for the failure or success of the students (Landsman, 2006), the purpose of this study
was to investigate the role of the superintendent in leading the district to become more culturally
proficient. Research questions included:

1) What is the role of the superintendent in leading the school district to become more

culturally proficient?

2) What strategies does a superintendent implement to directly address the multicultural

diversity in the district?

3) What staff development or programs have superintendents implemented that directly

address faculty and staff understanding of racial diversity and/or cultural sensitivity?

DEFINITION

Cultural diversity encompasses a variety of cultural experiences that include ethnicity,
poverty, age, gender, and sexual preference. Howard (1999) noted that diversity is not a choice,
but that individual responses to diversity certainly are, and these responses have not been
adequate to deal with a full range of issues presented to educators in a multicultural nation. This
study is framed around the definition of cultural diversity established by Lindsey, Roberts, and
Campbell-Jones (2005) who defined cultural proficiency as the honoring of the differences
among cultures, viewing diversity as a benefit, and interacting knowledgeably and respectfully
among a variety of cultural groups.

Changing Demographics

High stakes testing, district report cards, and the No Child Left Behind Act have focused
educators on success for all students in a period of time in Texas when demographics are quickly
changing (Scherer, 2004). State and federal funding is being tied to student success while district
and campus administrators are being held accountable for students not meeting minimum

Thomas Price, Superintendent, Splendora ISD
Sandra Harris, Lamar University