Diversifying the Principal Pipeline amid Anti-DEI Legislations: Recommendations for Principal Preparation Programs

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Diversifying the Principal Pipeline amid Anti-DEI Legislations: Recommendations for Principal Preparation Programs
Language: English
Authors: Mario M. Jackson (ORCID 0000-0003-3059-8376)
Source: Journal of School Leadership. 2026 36(1):46-70.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 25
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Principals, Administrator Education, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Social Justice, Equal Education, Federal Legislation, Educational Legislation, Diversity (Faculty), Recruitment, College Admission, Racial Composition, State Legislation, Politics of Education
Geographic Terms: Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas, Alabama, Utah
DOI: 10.1177/10526846251382330
ISSN: 1052-6846
Abstract: Despite students of color comprising more than half of the K-12 student population, the principal pipeline remains predominantly white, with roughly four of five principals identifying as such. This demographic mismatch has been linked to the inequitable experiences and outcomes for students of color, suggesting that the disproportionately white principal pipeline is failing to meet their needs. As gatekeepers, principal preparation programs are tasked with remedying this incongruence by increasing the recruitment and admission of teachers of color for leadership preparation. Conflicting with these expectations, are recent attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the federal, state, and local levels, seeking to undermine these efforts. In this essay, a review of the literature on recruitment and admission practices across principal preparation programs was undertaken to explore the strategies used by scholars to support efforts to diversify the principal pipeline. Recommendations are presented to guide principal preparation programs' "tactful" navigation of anti-DEI legislations across three areas. Implications are also offered for policy and future research.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1492921
Database: ERIC
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