Navigating Misperceptions: How Intersectionality Shapes the Experiences of Black Women Executive Leaders in K-12 Education

Abstract

In K-12 public education, Black women serve in a variety of leadership roles in schools and central offices. Research is available and discusses the experiences of Black women leaders, teachers, principals, and superintendents; however, there is a gap in the literature about Black women in executive leadership within the school district’s central office, even more specifically as members of the superintendent’s cabinet. Research on school district central offices has centered on transforming organizational structures to impact student outcomes (Honig, 2014). There is a paucity of research that provides a deeper look at intersectionality (Crenshaw, 2019) concerning Black women executive leaders who are cabinet members. This qualitative dissertation explored the lived experiences of Black women executive leaders in K-12 school districts in the United States to learn how the intersectionality of race and gender influences their approach to leadership and the performance of their leadership responsibilities. Data sources included a survey, individual interviews, and a researcher’s journal. Twenty survey responses were gathered from self-selection, convenience, and snowball sampling. Six in-depth interviews were conducted with dedicated leaders from five school districts in the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions of the United States. All had extensive leadership experience, with four of the six having held previous executive leadership roles. Their positions spanned the school system, including human resources, principal supervision, student services, and equity. Data were analyzed using a multi-layered coding approach, descriptive, in vivo, and theming, capturing exact key words, phrases, and experiences (Miles & Huberman, 2020) to better identify themes and patterns (Saldana, 2016) to ascertain the intersectional experience of Black women leaders. Findings revealed that intersectionality influenced participants’ approaches to leadership and work performance. Participants were conscious of the misperceptions people had of them and how bias influenced their interactions, preparation for work, and daily duties. This dissertation provides a forum for the voices of a population of Black women who exist but whose experiences have yet to be shared. Recommendations are provided for policy and workplace cultures to better support and create organizational culture changes for Black women executives in K-12 school districts.