| California is home to almost 15 million Latinos, however, according to the 2015 State of Higher Education Report for California, only 12% of the Latino population between the ages of 25 and 64 has a baccalaureate degree or higher, compared with 42% of the White population. Latina students have some of the lowest levels of educational attainment at every point in their K-12 journey and in general, very low occupational attainment. Given these troubling findings, this research sought to understand and tell the stories of Latinas in k-12 leadership positions in Southern California. In this study, Latinas describe how they successfully navigated through and were able to overcome many disparities to become effective educational leaders.;The research questions that guided this study were: (a) How do Latina school principals describe their lived experiences as an academically successful Latina student in grades K-12? (b) How do Latina school principals describe their lived experiences during and after college as related to their development as leaders? (c) In what ways does the organizational culture of the K-12 setting influence or is influenced by a Latina leader? Using phenomenological research methods, in depth individual interviews with 10 Latina leaders examined how and in what ways participants prior experiences impact and manifest in their leadership practice.;Some literature describe a hybrid space, which is the ethnic and mainstream culture that many Latinas must negotiate. However, results from this study support the addition of a third organizational culture , one that develops as a result of having authority within an educational institution. Thus this study posits that Latina leaders negotiate three cultures while leading: ethnic, mainstream and organizational culture. This research also found that some barriers in the United States that Latinas describe might also positively contribute to their development as leaders.;The significance of this study is the possibility that the personal and professional experiences, as told in the stories that Latina educators shared, may enhance our understanding of this at-risk population, aiming to contribute positive counter-stories as exemplars and models for Latina youth living in the U.S. |
