Date of Award

Spring 2-28-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Jeffrey Lee

Second Advisor

Kathleen Ringenbach

Abstract

As the United States has become more diverse, research on Culturally Responsive School Leadership strategies and practices and research on Culturally Agility competencies has expanded. While interest has continued to grow in both of these areas of focus, little was known in the intersectionality of these two areas as it relates to cultural competency within K-12 charter schools. More specifically, little was known about how charter school administrators are culturally agile when managing relationships in their organization. Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how charter school administrators are culturally agile when managing relationships in their organization. Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described the lived experiences of 15 Southern California Title 1 public charter school administrators. Specifically, the focus of this study was on how charter school administrators are culturally agile when managing relationships in their organization in the competencies of humility, relationship building, and perspective taking. To gain deeper understanding of the phenomena, study procedures were mainly semi-structured interviews to a point of saturation and triangulated by observations and artifacts. The collected data were then reviewed, analyzed, and organized. Findings: Examination of data from participants in this study indicated nine major findings: recognition of their limited world view and leaning into diversity of experiences, institutionalized collaborative decision making as an organizational norm, slowing down decision making by being mindful to ask clarifying questions, consistently following through as one’s authentic self to build rapport, intentionally creating time and space to share openly to forge strong relationships, intentionally cultivating a psychologically safe space for stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and ideas to build trust, taking time to prioritize perceptual perspective, honoring humanity with honoring stakeholder motivations, and asking clarifying questions to actively seek conceptual perspective. Conclusions: This study drew nine conclusions, focused on the strategies and competencies used by charter school administrators to be culturally agile when managing relationships in their organizations. Recommendations: Further research was recommended in order to expand the literature, understanding of Cultural Agility competencies, and utilization of competencies by school administrators.

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