Leading the Process of Within-District Integration: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Approach

Abstract

There is a gap in the empirical and conceptual literature that connects transformational leaders to relevant frameworks assisting with within-district racial and socioeconomic integration. Current studies focus on the collective decisions taken by district personnel to ease the process of integration but not through the lens of the superintendent leading the community through this process. This study utilized a grounded theory methodology to explore how school superintendents led the process of within-district racial and socioeconomic integration. Four superintendents, each leading large suburban districts within 60 miles of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were interviewed, and the data were triangulated with information from the district websites and local newspapers. The emergent theory, Leadership Theory for Within-District School Integration, reveals three actions taken by the superintendents throughout the integration process: Knowing Their Cultural Lens, Building Trusting Relationships, and Aligning Systems for Organizational Equity. This theory provides superintendents with a roadmap when leading the process of within-district racial and socioeconomic integration in their communities.