The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how executive coaches describe the strategies used with their public-school superintendent clients. The theoretical foundation of Positive Psychology, specifically PERMA+4, framed the questioning and brought context to the executive coach's decisions. The lack of research from the…

COVID-19 led to the closing of all Oklahoma schools in March of 2020, and the situation put public school superintendents in the position of having to communicate with constituents in the middle of an unforeseen crisis. The communication strategies superintendents use in times of crisis are crucial to student and staff safety, as well as…

The purpose of the present study was to explore the nature of hiring a public school superintendent in a context, which challenged school board trustees to select a particular type of leader. The researcher's intent was to study three former school board trustees who were initially involved in what they considered a complex change process,…

Idaho's public school district leadership has a gender gap; men outnumber women nearly three to one in the superintendency. The purpose of this study was to explore gender-specific mentoring availability and influence upon female administrators, specifically superintendents, in the state of Idaho. Using a modified version of grounded theory,…

A school district's need to satisfy the school community's expectations for current, accurate information and manage a social media presence has increased the necessity for superintendents to employ public relations professionals. As such, these professionals are a recent addition to many school districts' administrative teams. However, few…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research was to better understand how the lived experiences of Missouri public school superintendents as they lead their districts and handle the stressors and opportunities of social media. The framework for this study centered Avolio and Gardner's theory of Authentic Leadership. Their theory…

Public school superintendents face wide-ranging pressures and would benefit from improved understanding of ways to manage stress. This quantitative study used the theoretical framework of Transformational Leadership to investigate whether the presence or absence of faith practices resulted in better stress management for superintendents, and…

This dissertation examined the leadership strategies used by rural, public-school superintendents in the Central Appalachian region of Eastern Kentucky during and following the flood of 2022 that was considered a natural disaster. The context of this study was framed by a 1 in 1000-year flooding event that devastated school districts and…

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…

This qualitative study examined perceived leadership styles and the chosen career path of female superintendents within a southern state. While teaching is an occupation chosen primarily by women, the role of superintendent is filled predominantly by men. The superintendent of a school district is responsible for meeting the daily operational…

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…

This study makes use of a data set detailing instances of public school superintendent turnover in the commonwealth of Kentucky between 2014 and 2023. A quantitative research design was used to analyze descriptive statistics and salary changes based on a set of demographic and descriptive variables in the sample of 205 superintendent turnovers…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the impact of political polarization on public school leaders and how they lead their districts. The central research question being explored is: how has the increased divisiveness and political polarization of issues in the United States impacted public school superintendents and how they…

The purpose of this article is to examine ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the adoption and perception of virtual programs in Indiana public school districts. This mixed-methods sequential explanatory study focuses on beliefs held by Indiana public school superintendents and virtual program administrators regarding the growth of…

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.…