Program

K-12 Administration Ed.D.

Number of Pages

144

Year Approved

2026

First Advisor

Meg Cavalier

Second Reader

Julie Winn

Third Reader

Tracy Reimer

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Christian K–12 principals in public schools who encounter expectations and practices incongruent with their beliefs. The problem addressed was the limited empirical understanding of how faith‑motivated leaders navigate ethical tensions in secular educational environments and how these tensions affect their leadership and school communities. Guided by one primary research question and three sub‑research questions, the study examined (a) the challenges and ethical tensions principals face, (b) the strategies they employ to navigate value discrepancies between their Christian convictions and diverse school communities, and (c) the impact of these dynamics on leadership effectiveness, school climate, and student experiences. Seven Christian K–12 public‑school principals in Minnesota participated in semi‑structured interviews. Data were transcribed, coded in MAXQDA, and analyzed using open coding, constant comparison, and iterative codebook refinement. Analysis yielded four tension themes, six navigation strategy themes, and four impact themes. Findings indicated that ethical tensions were pervasive and often chronic, but were met with faith‑shaped strategies such as servant‑hearted care, quiet and implicit faith practices, values translation into secular language, dialogic engagement, case‑by‑case discernment, and reliance on spiritual and relational supports. These tensions contributed both to role stress and to professional and spiritual growth, with perceived effects on school climate, trust, and student belonging. The study offers implications for leadership preparation, district support, and future research on faith‑informed leadership in public education.

Degree Name

Education Doctorate

Document Type

Doctoral dissertation

Terms of Use and License Information

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

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