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School leaders in the United States must strive for equity in the increasingly diverse context of K-12 schools. Numerous studies link implicit bias with inequitable student access and academic and disciplinary outcomes (Gullo et al., 2019), both of which contribute to the School-to-Prison Pipeline. In addition to much work demonstrating the impact of teachers’ implicit biases on students, recent work by Gullo and Beachum (2017; 2020a) linked school leaders’ implicit biases to student disciplinary outcomes and explored this link through principals’ perspectives on the discipline decision-making process. A number of strategies can enable school leaders to reduce the impacts of leader and teacher implicit bias on students (Gullo et al., 2019). With a dual focus on individual and systemic strategies, the Justice for Bias Framework provides school leaders with tools for mitigating inequities that stem from biases in their schools. This framework centers strategies aimed at addressing biases in schools through leadership related to flexibility, relationships, and morality to create a leader-centered and school-inclusive platform for successful school equity endeavors (Beachum & Gullo, 2019; Gullo & Beachum, 2020b). This framework offers a tool for principal preparation programs and policy makers to use when designing systems that promote school equity.

Purpose: The gender gap in educational leadership is a national social justice issue. Despite efforts to increase the number of female superintendents in the US, representation remains low. This article investigates the career paths and perspectives of current and aspirant superintendents in Pennsylvania. Research Design: This mixed methods study used an electronic survey with both quantitative multiple choice items and qualitative open-response items. Findings: The gender gap persists Pennsylvania with possible perpetuation by female assistant superintendents’ disinterest in the positions. The insider path (ascending into the superintendency from inside the school district) was preferred and perceived as most optimal; however, more superintendents and assistant superintendents pursued outsider career paths (ascending into the superintendency from positions outside of the district). Aspirant superintendents considered insider paths most optimal due to interpersonal factors while superintendents based perceptions on intrapersonal factors. Outsider paths were most optimal based on applicant traits according to superintendents while assistant superintendents cited various drivers with no prominent theme. Superintendents chose insider paths due to interpersonal factors and outsider paths due to district traits. Conclusions: Similarities and differences in career planning preferences by men and women aspirant superintendents indicates an understanding by women of the insider path’s potential to overcome bias regarding women in leadership roles. As this career path is frequently not an option, women must choose not to aspire or to prepare themselves for possible gender bias in hiring when applying as outsiders.

Using data effectively is a critical skill for the modern school leaders. This case presents a school district where local interest groups are demanding changes regarding school safety and inclusion. Students have the opportunity to respond to a disciplinary equity audit and school climate survey. While interpreting and using data in a meaningful manner, students are challenged to evaluate the quality and efficacy of the presented data. The case also confronts students with race-related concerns that are often present in urban school districts. Students must exit their comfort zones in order to work as effective school leaders.

Purpose School leaders are charged with making equitable decisions almost daily, but little about this process is known. Due to research suggesting principal implicit bias, or the stereotypes and attitudes held by individuals unconsciously that may or may not reflect actual preferences, may contribute to discipline gaps, the present study aimed to better understand how principals make discipline decisions and how implicit bias might interfere in these decisions. Research methods This qualitative study used in-depth interviews and document analysis with six mid-Atlantic principals to explore their discipline decision-making processes. Constant comparative analysis inclusive of explicit coding and analytical procedures supported the development of an informed grounded theory. Findings The data revealed a four-part recursive process of discipline decision-making inclusive of four themes relevant to equity. Principals used communication and data to gather information in a first step driven by relationships, reflected on considerations and policy to develop options in a second step driven by flexibility, selected an outcome in a third step driven by morality, and evaluated their efficacy in the recursive loop driven by experience. Implications for research and practice The findings allow for targeted research of the discipline decision-making process and potential consideration of practical interventions and curricular design for principal preparation programs that would allow for greater equity in discipline following office referrals., Education; Informed grounded theory; Implicit bias; School discipline; Decision-making; Discipline decision-making; Educational leadership; Principals; Qualitative research.