Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify Latino principals' perceptions of their positive impact on Latino students. Methodology. This study utilized a policy Delphi method to conduct qualitative and quantitative research. The subjects in this study were 46 Latino principals in the state of California leading schools with high Latino student enrollment. They responded to two rounds of surveys. The first round consisted of the following question: Over and above the typical impacts a Principal has upon all students in a school, how do you as a Latino Principal positively impact Latino students? The second round asked Latino principals to complete two tasks: to rank the top 10 perceived impacts from all participants shared from the first round, and to provide any evidence to support the top 10 identified impacts Latino principals perceive themselves to have on Latino students. Findings. Examination of qualitative and quantitative data from panel members identified the following top 10 impacts perceived to impact Latino students: (a) cultural awareness, (b) establish a relationship/connection, (c) role model, (d) share similar language, (e) goals and accountability, (f) advocate for social justice, (g) promote and encourage parental involvement, (h) accessible and approachable, (i) practices in curriculum and instruction, and (j) seek and provide resources for success. Panel members ranked the degrees of presence for each impact and provided evidence to support each impact. Conclusions. The cultural identity of the school principal impacts students with the same cultural identity. The perspectives from Latino principals in this study uncovered impacts indicative of positive behaviors that have the greatest impact on the achievement of students with the same cultural identity. Recommendations. Policy Delphi studies of the perspectives of various school stakeholders, principals, students, and parents would enrich the current understanding of the effects of cultural identity on school stakeholders and student achievement. School districts are advised to develop principal profiles and interview questions based on this research to identify appropriate candidates to lead schools with high Latino student populations. It is recommended that principal preparation programs incorporate learning objectives in order to increase the awareness and impact of school leaders.