Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine the relationship between the disposition of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) within the domains of praxis, community and social justice of K-8 schoolteachers, and their perceptions of teacher efficacy within the domains of student motivation, student achievement, relationships with students, and teaching after controlling for sex, ethnicity, work experience, and recent culturally responsive training. Theoretical Framework. This study supports previous studies by Ladson-Billings (1994, 1995, 2009, 2014) and G. Gay (1994, 2000, 2002, 2010, 2014). G. Gay presents the importance of culturally relevant teaching (CRT), while Ladson-Billings focuses on CRP.Methodology. A quantitative, correlational design was selected. The independent variable was the dispositions for CRP, and the dependent variable was teacher efficacy. A correlation coefficient was used to express the degree of relationship. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics were computed for the variables. Multiple linear regression was used to control for sex, ethnicity/race, work experience, and participation in CRP training for all questions.Findings and Conclusions. This study's findings asserted that CRP disposition impacted teacher efficacy perception for all four domains: motivating students, academic achievement, relationships with students, and teaching. This study's findings suggest that policymakers' emphasis on the opportunity gap agenda for racially minoritized students, including ELs, needs to be reevaluated. Local education agencies (LEAs), including school administrators, board members, and school communities, need to recognize the obstacles to teacher motivation and disposition, teachers' knowledge deficit, and the organizational barriers that keep teachers from effectively implementing culturally relevant instruction.Recommendations. School districts should evaluate their accountability plan with proven metrics that examine how policy affects the broad spectrum of English learners and culturally minoritized students. This study's results help policymakers make decisions with an understanding of how teachers' disposition for CRP drives their efficacy. Addressing legislation to fund culturally responsive training could have a lasting impact on closing equity gaps. Further studies could expand on the validity of the results with modifications. To understand and leverage diversity, further research should focus on the perceptions of administrators, all faculty members, and students.