During the global pandemic of the 2020--21 school year, school districts rapidly transitioned from the traditional in-person structure of school to distance learning. This research study sought to understand how superintendents envisioned virtual learning as an option within their school district portfolio, exploring the barriers faced in its…

Coherence is highly important in teacher education and professional development programs--the extent of shared vision between position holders contributes to the program's success. Nevertheless, the research on shared vision and coherence has primarily focused on teacher training programs. Hence, in this study, we conducted 29 interviews with…

Using surveys and focus group interviews, this study explored the perspectives of new school superintendents and their mentors on goal setting in relation to national leadership standards in a formal mentoring and induction program. While the two groups shared certain views, statistically significant differences were found. The mentees displayed a…

Public school leadership has been described as a paradox, dominated by men while a majority of the teaching profession are women. Although women have made their way into educational leadership roles, the reality of the superintendency is that most studies have shown few women hold the position. The number of women securing a superintendency has…

Literature over the past several decades offers a plethora of information regarding crisis management in the private sector (Burnett, 1998; Fink, 1986; Coombs, 2007; Pauchant & Mitroff, 1992; Pearson & Clair, 1998; Pearson & Mitroff, 1993). Conversely, there is little research regarding crisis management in a school setting (Gainey,…

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore community engagement experiences as perceived by board members, the superintendent, and community members in a high-performing school district in North Texas. Interviews with ten participants (five current school board members, one past school board member, one district superintendent, and…

The underrepresentation of African Americans in the superintendency and lack of equitable access to the superintendency in K-12 public school districts across the United States is a problem of significant concern. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of 17 African American superintendents with the recruitment, selection, and promotion…

The average tenure of a school superintendent is only around three years (Chingos et al., 2014; Grissom & Andersen, 2012; Yee & Cuban, 1996). This study examined key factors that potentially influenced longevity in Ohio's public school superintendents. Three areas were examined in this quantitative study for possible influence on the…

The prevalence of educator shortages has long been a topic of research and policy discussions in Illinois. Across multiple years, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS) have collected data and reported on the magnitude, severity, and impact of shortages statewide. Prior…

Using Critical Race Theory and Critical Whiteness, this study examines how Whiteness shapes district leaders' reasoning regarding racially diversifying their teacher pipeline and how such reasoning may influence their practice. Specifically, we focus on five districts with demographic and geographic profiles often overlooked in the research (i.e.…

In an era of accountability, competition for student enrollment, and the necessity to balance district budgets, district leaders are seeking to thrive despite these legitimate stressors. Among the responsibilities of a superintendent, financial leadership balanced with instructional leadership is critical to the success of a school district and…

The specific needs of rural schools and communities have received limited attention from state policy makers, and many state programs have only added to the challenges that school districts in rural areas face. Michigan State University researchers surveyed and interviewed rural superintendents in Michigan to learn more about their situations.…

Black superintendents are significantly underrepresented in our nation's schools. Despite a slight increase in representation of female Black superintendents, minorities of all races continue to be underrepresented (Tienken & Domenech, 2020). In this study, I examined the experiences of Black superintendents in Michigan who currently hold…

This article explores how five school superintendents in south Texas construct their professional identity and positionality around immigration and immigrant students during interviews with academics researching social justice advocacy of superintendents. Situated in south Texas on the frontline of migration flows and faced with a conservative…

This multiple case study focused on three Native American women superintendents' self-efficacy beliefs and the impact of the Indigenous culture on their decision making as they led their school district through the COVID-19 pandemic. Albert Bandura's self-efficacy theory served as the underpinning theory of this study. The qualitative research…