How Do Arab Higher Education Students In Israel Perceive The Role Of The School Principal In Encouraging Academic Aspirations And Guiding And Preparing Students Toward Pursuing Higher Education?

This research investigates how Arab higher education students in Israel understood the role of their high school principals in developing academic aspirations and encouraging them to continue to post-secondary education. A qualitative approach was taken using semi- structured interviews to conduct an inquiry with 40 Arab Bachelor’s degree students regarding the emotional, strategic, and motivational leadership of their principals in the Arab education system. The findings present evidence that principals served a continuum of influential roles as motivators, strategic navigators, and emotional anchors, especially in areas of social and economic deprivation. Principals who exhibited culturally relevant leadership made an improvement to Arab students’ decisions to pursue higher objectives and motivation to maintain their academic activity. This study contributes to the understanding of the significant role of principals not only as academic leaders in schools, but also as leaders of equity and social mobility for underprivileged rural and middle-class communities. The study provided seven specific implications for action for the benefit of developing topics related to principal leadership and principal leadership development to bring together empathy, agency, and vision to support students in the reconceptualization of their education or decision-making for future careers.