Assistant principals as equity leaders: Developing capacity to facilitate conversations about race and achievement

Abstract

This qualitative study examined how elementary assistant principals developed capacity to facilitate conversations about race and achievement using Singleton's protocol. Ten assistant principals participated in four focus group sessions implementing structured dialogue exercises. Data collection included participant reflective journals and focus group discussions analyzed through systematic coding. Findings revealed that as participants developed greater awareness of racial dynamics, they initially experienced decreased confidence before developing facilitation capacity—suggesting temporary regression signal growth in racial consciousness when supported by appropriate structures. Trust emerged as a critical factor enabling vulnerable dialogue, while structured protocols provided necessary scaffolding for navigating complex conversations. The study contributes to understanding how school leaders may be prepared to address persistent achievement disparities through courageous conversations about race, with implications for assistant principals’ unique positioning within school leadership hierarchies.