Career Advancement of African American Women in Public School Education in Arkansas

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study was to explore the perceived obstacles and advantages for career advancement that have guided African American women in administrative positions of leadership in K-12 education in the state of Arkansas. Through the use of a phenomenological design, a thick, rich description of the experiences of these female leaders in K-12 education was obtained. The results of the study include five key themes- spiritual awareness, communication, preparedness, networking, and vision, that helped to identify successes, barriers, and obstacles in career advancement of these African American women. The results of this study provide practitioners with ideas regarding how to capitalize on barriers and successes in order to increase the number of African American women in leadership positions in K-12 settings.