Leadership and Ethics of Care in Urban PLCs: Facilitators’ Lived Experiences and Challenges

This qualitative multiple case study investigates how five case study participants navigated disruptions and supports while leading professional learning communities (PLCs) during a districtwide literacy initiative. Grounded in transformational leadership theory and the ethics of care, the study analyzes how systemic factors and relational dynamics either facilitated or hindered facilitator impact. Data sources included interviews, journals, and problem-of-practice logs. Findings reveal that care-based, transformational practices helped overcome emotional and structural barriers, enabling authentic instructional dialogue. The study highlights facilitators as mid-level leaders whose relational work strives to sustain meaningful, equity-focused collaboration in urban schools.