The positions of the school board and superintendent have been in place for years and in that time not only have the dynamics of education changed, but the societal structures have also evolved. This quantitative study examined the relationships that exist between the school board's engagement in training and professional development and their…

The achievement gap has a long history in the United States of America which is demonstrated by inequitable graduation rates. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2019, the continued genocide and murder of countless Black and Brown people, civil unrest demonstrated by protests nationally after the execution of George Floyd and countless others,…

Public school districts are embedded into local communities, forming a symbiotic relationship of mutual influence. District leaders, therefore, have a tremendous impact on a great number of stakeholders and in turn, there are many external and internal factors that impact how successful districts are in completing their mission. Given the…

The underrepresentation of women in the school superintendency in the United States may be attributed to a lack of role models, mentoring, and educational networking. The problem that this study addressed is the lack of insight into how mentoring influences women's attainment of the superintendency. The purpose of this qualitative case study was…

The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore through personal interviews the pathways to superintendency of Missouri district leaders with varying teaching and leadership experiences. The central questions guiding this research were the following: (a) How do Missouri public school superintendents with varying building-level…

This study explored the perceptions of district superintendents in Texas and Arizona concerning the internship activities of superintendent candidates they supervised. Twenty superintendents agreed to participate in interviews. Five uniform questions were presented during the interviews. A qualitative analysis of interview responses is shared, and…

The United States has long struggled with retaining superintendents in public school districts, with a retention rate of only 32% to 43% over the past decade. The low retention rate is concerning as it can negatively impact the quality of education offered to students and staff morale. The twofold purpose of this research was to identify factors…

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed a paradigm shift, necessitating adaptive leadership to navigate unprecedented challenges, foster innovation, and prioritize the well-being of students and staff. In this context, superintendents serve as chief executives, guiding districts through complex terrain, balancing fiscal responsibilities,…

Context matters in implementation. The Lenawee ISD (LISD) in Michigan navigated implementation through major changes in its school district's administration and the COVID-19 pandemic. The district highlighted in the impact story experienced leadership change in the District Superintendent position and three school principal positions. The district…

Black women comprised only 1.4% of superintendents leading school districts in the United States as of 2021 (Grogan & Nash, 2021). These professionals face challenges to their leadership driven by systemic inequities deeply embedded in traditional leadership perceptions regarding race and gender, and contend with being undervalued and…

Superintendents are critical to the functioning of America's public schools. The stress of the public scrutiny and the multiple roles of this position contribute to a high turnover rate for all superintendents. The position is more stressful and the turnover rate is greater in rural districts. This phenomenological study of 14 long serving rural…

This mixed methods study investigated the financial impact of cyber charters in Pennsylvania, parents' decision-making about cyber enrollment, and rural school district and cyber leader responses to increasing cyber enrollments. The data suggest that cyber charter enrollments and costs to rural districts have dramatically increased over time and…

Philanthropic initiatives incorporating prescriptive practices have become prominent in K-12 education. This study provides evidence on the reach, character, and impact of the Broad Superintendents Academy, a controversial initiative designed to transform district leadership. A novel data set on Broad trainees linked to data on large districts…

This study sought to examine the underlying issues and perceptions of sitting male and female superintendents in order to add to the current literature on feminism in the K-12 school setting. Specifically, this study sought to examine the perceptions of currently employed superintendents about how they experienced the intersection of gender and…

This is a qualitative analysis of women working in district level administration in Northeast Kansas who hold their district level administration licenses. It seeks to understand and gain insight into women who reach the role of district level administration leadership and discover their career path, future aspirations, and any challenges or bias…