It's no surprise that school districts are as vulnerable to fraud as the private sector or any other segment of government. Crimes in districts include collusion with outside vendors who provide kickbacks to employees, misuse of district-issued credit cards, embezzlement of district funds, and theft of district property. "Fraud happens…

Urban school superintendents hold one of the most important and challenging jobs in America's education system. In this era of accountability and standards, superintendents are charged with making visible and rapid improvements in the academic achievement of the nation's most vulnerable children. They must break down barriers to reform and build…

The purpose of this study was to identify the issues that most affect Minnesota's rural public school administrators as they attempt to fulfill the mandates required from state legislation and communities. A second purpose was to identify exemplary practices valued by individual Minnesota rural schools and districts. Electronic surveys were sent…

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) students often do not graduate with their same age peers, continue on to college, have satisfying social and emotional relationships, or achieve gainful employment as adults due to their delays in language and communication skills (Antia, Stinson, & Gaustad, 2002; Siegel, 2002a). The purpose of this study is to…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of successful small-school superintendents in regard to maintaining or improving district efficiency and financial status. This investigation sought to reveal superintendent practices that serve to maximize district revenues and improve operating efficiency. Face-to-face interviews were…

This report describes results of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) 2009-2010 Central Office Work Environment Survey.

This research provides insight into the status of female administrators from a particular geographical area in rural America. Findings reveal that some progress has been made across the United States but there is more effort needed especially in the High Plains states. The numbers of females in administrative positions in the High Plains states…

This survey research was completed at a regional university to determine students' satisfaction of online courses in a principal and superintendent certification program in one educational leadership department. This study explored the students' satisfaction of course components: instruction, communication, assessment, leadership, teamwork,…

The negative consequences of school desegregation on Black families, educators, and communities in the US are well documented in education research today. The purpose of this article is to examine the experiential knowledge and wisdom of practice of former Black school superintendents who attended all Black segregated schools and led desegregated…

Thirty-seven superintendents lead public school divisions in the Province of Manitoba; their role is to implement the policies set out by the Board of Trustees. In a period of rapid educational change and growth in Manitoba, superintendents are increasingly concerned with rural/urban issues; the fallout from recent school division amalgamations;…

The superintendency has a reputation as a thankless occupation, one so difficult search firms sometimes have a hard time drumming up applicants for challenging school districts. It is not hard to see why many educators say they would never aspire to the top post: more intense news media scrutiny, harsh and incessant community bloggers,…

Many school districts are in need of a successful plan of action for school district referendums. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the perceived effectiveness between factors and strategies surrounding referendums and the passage of those measures meant to improve school funding and facilities. The findings from Johnson and…

This study was conducted to identify the self-perceptions of superintendents regarding their instructional leadership practices. The focus of the research was to explore the linkages that exist between these perceptions and factors such as superintendent characteristics and district demographics. In their role as district instructional leaders,…

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of superintendents with business backgrounds and who lack teaching experience. There is a shortage of qualified superintendent candidates in K-12 school districts. As a result, some school boards are hiring nontraditional superintendents. This qualitative case study is important because it…

In 2011-2012, eight schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) adopted a PK-8 structure. The Office of Program Evaluation in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina is collaborating with the CMS Center for Research and Evaluation to better understand the PK-8 transition process as well as academic and behavioral…