Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine public elementary school principals serving in culturally diverse student population schools with respect to their cultural adaptability and their school's student achievement. Methodology. This study examined eighty-three California public elementary school principals serving in culturally diverse student population schools. Survey questionnaires, including the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI) and a demographic information form, were used to obtain data regarding cultural adaptability and attributes related to cultural adaptability. Student achievement data included results of 1989 and 1990 third and sixth grade reading and mathematics California Assessment Program Survey (CAP). Differences in student achievement were determined between principals who exhibited high and low levels of cultural adaptability and associated with the principals': tenure, ethnicity, cultural background, and cross-cultural training/education. Findings and conclusions. (1) High levels cultural adaptability principals exhibited greater frequencies in ethnic representation, languages spoken other than English, and cross-cultural training/education; (2) A skewedness toward higher levels of cultural adaptability than the CCAI norms was exhibited by the study population, with an evidenced trend of homogeneity in cultural adaptability; (3) The CAP reading and mathematics scaled score means of the study populations' schools exceed both established CAP means and state-wide scaled score means for both years considered; (4) The low cultural adaptability group's schools' scaled score means exceed those of the high levels group's schools in all cases except 1989 sixth grade mathematics; (5) No significant differences were exhibited in student achievement between high and low levels cultural adaptability principal groups; (6) Significant differences were exhibited in student achievement between the two principal groups considering principals' length of tenure and cross-cultural education within the administrative credential program. Recommendations. (1) Programs for training principals in cultural adaptability should incorporate the tenets of cross-cultural training and educational strategies; (2) When seeking more culturally adaptable principals, cultural education within the administrative credential program, languages spoken other than English, acquisition of a Bilingual-Bicultural Certificate and/or coursework, and cross-cultural training/workshops, should be considered; (3) Research is needed to determine other organizational variables related to cultural adaptability, i.e., culture, climate, and communication.