Successful School Principals in Arizona: Leading Schools and Communities in Culturally Responsive Ways Near the U.S.-Mexico Border and on the Navajo Reservation

Today’s principals near the U.S.-Mexico border and on Native American reservations lead schools in communities with historical trauma from colonization as well as contemporary changes and complexities. Drawing on the literature and comparative, mixed method case study findings, this article considers how principals work with and through others to mediate and navigate the complex conditions of schools and communities to support success in academic outcomes, wellness, equity, and quality of life. The research questions for this study are: (1) To what extent, and in what ways, do diverse socioeconomic, cultural, political, and professional contexts at different levels of the education system in which schools operate influence the ways in which successful principals work?; (2) What similarities and differences can be identified in the values, beliefs, and behaviors of successful school principals across different schools in the same state?; and (3) To what extent, and in what ways, do school principals contribute to the ‘success’ of their schools? Data was gathered using the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP) teacher survey and multi-perspective, qualitative interviews with the principal, teachers, parents/community members, and students. Throughout our findings, we noted a particular focus on culture, with one focused on principal support for an increased population of migrant students from Mexico and Latin America and the other featuring a Navajo principal walking in two worlds of the Navajo culture and systems for success in the public district and state. The article concludes with implications for future research, leadership preparation, and leadership development.