Black male school leaders: a scoping review of K-12 leadership experiences

Abstract

Background: School leadership is broadly studied and critical to students’ achievement and their overall well-being. However, the race-neutral position of traditional leadership theory fails to account for the intersecting identities of school leaders and the influences on the enactment of leadership (Smith, 2021). This review critically examines school leadership based on the intersecting identities of Black Male K-12 school leaders, as existing research specific to this group is limited (Bass, 2020). Objective & Design: This review explores the scope and range of literature documenting the experiences and leadership enactment of Black male school leaders in Canada and the United States, using a scoping review methodology (Joanna Briggs Institute, 2024) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) (Tricco et al., 2018). Utilizing the framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT), school leadership is examined with consideration specific to the experiences and professional practices of Black male K-12 school leaders influenced by their identity. Results: This scoping review resulted in 45 total sources of evidence consisting of 10 peer-reviewed journal articles and 35 dissertations, published between 2002 and 2023. Only one and a half of the 45 studies reviewed were Canadian-based, and all but one study incorporated qualitative methodologies (e.g., phenomenological approaches). Most of the studies typically centred on a small number of participants who shared their leadership experiences within the context of their intersectional identities. While researchers studied a range of questions, common themes centred on the leadership approaches that differed from European American school leaders and challenges and outcomes related to the underrepresentation of Black males in K – 12 school leadership. Findings also revealed that Black, male K - 12 school leaders experienced and enacted leadership that differed from Eurocentric norms based on their intersectionality. Several implications for research, practice, and policy are identified, including: the need for Culturally Responsive School Leadership within school leadership programs; enhanced professional development for all school staff regarding anti-Black racism and systemic barriers that marginalize some groups of students; foci on recruitment, support, and retention of Black, male teachers and administrators; and continued research related to Black, male, K - 12 school administrators and leadership within the Canadian context is needed. Conclusion: The intersectionality of Black school leadership, though underrepresented in research, is a crucial field of study. Understanding the characteristics of effective practices, particularly those that promote inclusive perspectives from marginalized and historically oppressed groups, can impact school leadership and student outcomes. This study reinforces the essential role of the identity of Black male school leaders in all aspects of leadership, particularly in reducing achievement disparities among Black students.