A case study examining principal leadership behaviors that promote shared responsibility for English language learners

The growing number of English language learners in U.S. schools has created urgency for changes to occur in public education to support this diverse student population. Leadership that promotes school-wide cultural proficiency provides the groundwork for change that is needed to occur in educational practices to ensure student success. This descriptive case study examined exemplary principal leadership behaviors that help promote shared responsibility for English language learners. Qualitative data was collected through structured in-depth interviews with an elementary school principal and teachers to examine the change process. There were 12 themes that emerged from this descriptive case study that include: values and beliefs, vision, connections of principal and teachers, distributed leadership, change, reflection, instructional design model, collaboration, shared ownership, student achievement, equity and social justice, and urgency. This research study describes the transformative educational leadership behaviors used in a school-wide reform process to promote shared ownership and success for all students.