Teresa Lance came to her position as assistant superintendent for equity and innovation in School District U-46 in Elgin, Illinois, after leaving a superintendency where community leaders were unwilling to change the status quo. Joshua P. Starr describes how Lance's previous experiences led to her current role and what she learned along the way.

The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze how district superintendents foster and build relationships with school principals through their interactions to support and nurture strong leadership. From a transformational lens, I explored how the strength of such connectedness builds bridges to leadership sustainability. Reflections of…

Women in the field of education are strongly represented in the classroom but are much less likely to become school district superintendents. For decades, women have continued to attain the top district leadership role at a rate of slightly less than one to four, compared to their male counterparts. The purpose of this study was to understand how…

National interest in using school climate as an accountability measure makes it important to understand how school leaders view and make use of school climate data. The purpose of this study was to investigate how school and district administrators use climate data in Virginia, where a statewide school climate survey is annually administered.…

Creating a dynamic educational community takes collaboration and accountability from ALL constituents. Current research on leaders sets the foundation for recognizing the need for organizations to develop wellness initiatives and enhance research. In today's transient work world, wellness initiatives may aid in retention. Targeting the emotional…

Women in education are strongly represented in the classroom but are much less likely to become school district superintendents. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how women who have been superintendents for at least 3 years experienced mentoring and role preparation as they worked to attain the position. A transcendental…

Soon after Xavier Botana took over as superintendent of Maine's Portland Public Schools, he realized that, despite the district's professed commitment, efforts to promote equity were embedded in other programs rather than being its own goal. He knew that if he were going to make his vision for equity a reality, he would need to get the community's…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions of superintendents as to how prepared and supported they were to successfully lead an organization through crisis situations. A phenomenological approach was used and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 current or retired public school superintendents from diverse…

Although their numbers are growing in the field of education, women of color are highly underrepresented in high-level leadership positions such as superintendent of schools. The purpose of this narrative research study was to explore the experiences, facilitators, and barriers of 20 women of color high-level educational leaders, including…

When Dr. Tina Lupton and Dr. Timisha Barnes-Jones joined the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, Opportunity Culture implementation was happening in the midst of COVID. Lupton, the executive director of professional learning, and Barnes-Jones, the area superintendent for a network of 15 transformation schools, used their experience in other…

In K-12 public school districts, females are not dominant in educational leadership positions. Females continue to be underrepresented in the positions that pay more and have the greatest impact on students' education. Despite some females pursuing and attaining credentials for leadership, they encounter obstacles along the path to leadership.…

This study involving 233 participants from ten states sought to identify the types of educational journals practicing superintendents read. The findings indicate that the majority of superintendents are reading publications provided by professional and trade organizations rather than peer-reviewed journals. Across all subgroups, "Educational…

This qualitative analysis examines an authentic understanding of what it takes to become a superintendent of color in the state of Massachusetts. It examines their career experiences on becoming a superintendent and while serving in the role, particularly how race has impacted their leadership as superintendent. This research seeks to know and…

Following a wave of racial justice activism during the summer of 2020, nearly 40 school districts passed resolutions ending the use of law enforcement in schools. In such districts, school superintendents then faced the challenge of implementing these "police-free schools' resolutions," while sometimes encountering strong resistance,…

The work of a school leader can be compared to that of an architect, who must bring a team together to create something original on a solid foundation. Aaron Spence, superintendent of Virginia Beach City Public Schools, came to the district nine years ago, ready to serve the district where he'd grown up. His previous experiences in school…