Interrogating school leader sense-making: an examination of the influence of leader identity on school discipline

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the sensemaking of K-12 school leaders and how identity and student demographics factor into their discipline decisions. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative exploratory study engaged six middle school leaders across rural, suburban and urban districts. Interviews were analyzed to determine whether school administrators consider academic performance and/or race when making discipline decisions. Findings The emergent themes from this study included the sensemaking of academic beliefs, power and agency and the purpose of discipline. Findings illuminate that school leaders across contexts believe that the purpose of school discipline is to teach expected student behavior. The findings show differences in the application of discipline that are influenced by the race and gender of the leader. These findings suggest that the agency school leaders believe they have to support student outcomes is directly influenced by their own relationship to identity marginality. Practical implications How school leaders engage in sensemaking to make discipline decisions directly impacts outcomes for students. With a focus on creating more equitable learning conditions and opportunities, consideration of how school leaders negotiate their own identities and agency greatly influences their discipline sensemaking. Principal sensemaking determines whether discipline decisions reinforce or disrupt harmful schooling practices. Originality/value Studies on K-12 school leader discipline sensemaking are limited. By deepening the understanding of leader sensemaking, the field moves closer to dismantling practices that disproportionately harm student academic progress and identifying supportive strategies, especially for those from historically marginalized backgrounds.