When Past is Present and Future: How Contextualizing a Community’s Historical Context Can Shape the Development of Equity-Focused Principal Pipelines

Abstract Using data from eight large, urban school districts, this study explores how district leaders can use an understanding of local sociocultural and historical contexts to shape the development and implementation of policies and practices designed to support educational equity. We theorize the Contextualizing Community Histories Model, a four-stage iterative process that uncovers local histories and uses a strengths-based approach to outline promising practices and opportunities for growth. Findings indicate that district leaders are intentionally considering their communities’ historical, political, and sociocultural events and specific community needs in the development of their equity-focused principal pipelines. The focus on community histories and contexts highlight the need to create district teams inclusive of invested external actors and the need for leadership preparation programs to design coursework and field experiences that support the development of aspiring leaders’ cultural competence.