Leadership in Rural Texas During COVID-19: Testimonios from the Field

The purpose of this chapter is to capture firsthand accounts from K-12 school principals in southwest Texas as they led their rural schools through the unprecedented COVID-19 global pandemic. This study explored the experiences of these school principals in an effort to better understand what actions and behaviors were most useful in order to continue leading their organization forward in a time of crisis. By exploring the reflections of school principals during the COVID-19 pandemic, other school principals could learn from these lived experiences of their colleagues in order to be better prepared when faced with a crisis in the future. The primary research question that guided this investigation was, “How did K-12 educational leaders in rural Texas lead their organization through the COVID-19 crisis?” The guiding question utilized a broad, reflective lens to capture firsthand accounts of school principals during this specific phenomenon. By examining this unique situational crisis, we can better understand the shared experiences of leading during one of the most difficult times in education in which future leaders can reflect upon and learn.