ABSTRACT
Operating in a unique state context, José Cervantez, a dual-language principal, strives to create a school that instructionally and culturally sustains the student populations in the community. However, as the school leader, he often faces conflicting priorities. Cervantez simultaneously experiences pressures to raise student standardized test scores to maintain funding, while advocating time for mariachi rehearsal and collaborative murals that resonant with the community. This case study examines how one principal negotiates resources and time to meet both the external demands of school improvement and the school’s social justice initiatives and culturally sustaining work.
