VATESOL 2025 Conference Presentation – “Bless Your Heart” Leadership Strategies in Virginia’s Low-Incidences EL

“Bless Your Heart” Leadership Strategies in Virginia’s Low-Incidences EL Programs”
Event: VATESOL 2025
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025
Session Format: Presentation
Presenter:

• Kia Johnson

This session presents findings from a qualitative study exploring how EL program leaders in Virginia’s low-incidence districts navigate language program implementation amidst limited resources, shifting demographics, and compliance pressures. Drawing from interviews and EL program handbook analysis, the session introduces the Bless Your Heart (BYH) Leadership framework, a contextually responsive model grounded in distributive justice and adaptive leadership theory.