Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Administrative and Instructional Leadership

First Advisor

Anthony Annunziato

Abstract

As the cultural and ethnic makeup of the United States rapidly evolves, the disproportion of diversity in education is becoming a common phenomenon. This gap is particularly evident on Long Island, New York, where staff demographics are inconsistent with the diversifying student population. This phenomenological study explored how Hispanic English as a New Language (ENL) teachers use their language, customs, traditions, beliefs, and culture to positively impact their Hispanic students. It also examined the benefits of teacher-student cultural and ethnic matching and the challenges Hispanic ENL teachers face in predominantly White-staffed schools. Guided by culturally relevant pedagogy and the concept of ethnic matching, this qualitative study involved in-depth interviews to gather data. The findings revealed that these teachers play a vital role in fostering student engagement, building trust, and improving academic outcomes by integrating their cultural identities into their teaching practices. The study's significance lies in its potential to inform policies and practices that enhance equity and inclusion in educational settings by emphasizing the recruitment, support, and retention of Hispanic teachers.

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