Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Latinas in executive cabinet leadership roles at the district office or county office level in the Preschool-12 California public education system.
Theoretical Framework. Themes in the existing research and a conceptual framework rooted in Intersectionality and Leadership Development Theory were utilized to identify successes, barriers, and strategies to increase Latina leadership opportunities.
Methodology. A phenomenological study was allowing for the study of the lived experiences of Latinas in executive cabinet leadership roles to identify common themes or shared experiences.
Findings and Conclusion. This study found that a commitment to core values is a foundation to the success of Latina executive cabinet leaders in the Preschool-12 public education system. These core values are unique to the Latina experience due to the intersection of race and gender in reference to how they are formed, nurtured, and used throughout the Latina leadership journey. Rather than formal training through education and professional development, the Latina educational leader participants were able to succeed due to their lived experiences as females and minorities and a dedication to core values that were passed to them from their families and communities.
Recommendations. Additional research related to Latina public school executive leadership could expand beyond the structures established for this study including: (a) Latina executive cabinet level leaders who work in higher education or private schools could be included; (b) Latina educational leaders outside of the state of California; (c) Latina educational leaders working in districts that are not predominantly Hispanic/Latino students and in communities whose demographics do not match those of the leader; or (d) the concept of core values could be studied further with the Latino/Hispanic culture and other cultures. While many cultures share similar values, how these values are acted upon may differ from culture to culture.