A Case Study of How Principals in Texas Conceptualize and Support the School Readiness of Children Entering Their Schools

Elementary school principals play a key role in leading school personnel to provide prekindergartners and kindergartners with the support needed to ensure their short- and long-term school success. Yet, few studies examine how principals conceptualize what it means for children to be ready for school and how principals support students as they progress through school. In this case study, we examine how a sample of elementary school principals in Texas (N = 14) conceptualized school readiness and their role in supporting prekindergarten and/or kindergarten students’ progress through school. We found these principals framed school readiness as a moment at school entry from which they, as instructional leaders, sought to build early learning experiences with their teachers to support students’ success. We use such findings to consider how to expand and support principals’ understandings of school readiness beyond the deficit-based neoliberal logic that prioritizes children thriving in a competitive learning landscape.