Conceptualizing District COVID-19 Response as a Portal for Increasing Equitable Access

ABSTRACT

During the pandemic, principals played crucial roles in responding to the exacerbated inequities that accompanied new modes of learning. Much less understood and explored is the role played by school districts in supporting these responses. This study seeks to understand how districts responded to the pandemic, and the potential of these responses to promote equitable access for marginalized students. We analyzed data from three different American School District Panel COVID-19 surveys administered to school districts in 2021 to provide answers to these questions. We report our findings across three themes: ensuring equitable access through direct services, making changes to curriculum and instructional practices, and expanding schools’ capacity to address equity. We conclude with the implications for the role of school districts in supporting principals’ capacity to advance equity-oriented leadership practices, leadership preparation, and future research.

Acknowledgments

The authors extend thanks to the RAND Corporation for providing access to the data reported in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Throughout this article, the terms district and school districts will be used to refer to both district offices and Charter Management Organizations.

2. The ability to lead systemic changes in educational systems that improve educational opportunities and outcomes for historically underserved students (Honig & Honsa, 2020, p. 194).