The purpose of this paper is to frame a preliminary report of a study of gender differences within the mentoring relationship associated with educational leadership. The study also examines the question of whether there is a difference in mentoring women, men, and minorities into positions of educational leadership. The research is based on…

This paper aims to identify critical constraints as perceived by U.S. and California women superintendents and to determine how these women overcame them. The Survey of Influences on Female Superintendents' Careers (SIFSC) was used in two studies to collect quantitative and qualitative data on women superintendents in the United States and in…

Among the 1,000 females who lead school districts in the United States, some 25 to 30 are Hispanic. Ways in which Hispanic females are sought and selected for the superintendency of a district are explored in this paper. The report is based on an analysis of 12 Hispanic female superintendents and how they were hired. Two of the women in the sample…

Ways in which women practice power in the central office and the perceptions of those practices are explored in this study. The paper raises the questions: "How can a woman be perceived as successful in a central-office administrative position?""How is success defined by those with whom she works?" and "What do her colleagues accept as successful…

Various opinions surround the usefulness of research on women superintendents. An analysis of the benefits and the drawbacks of such research is presented here. The text opens with 10 reasons why such research is of use to women and men. The reasons include: women make up over 70 percent of the teaching ranks but only 7 percent of them occupy…

Although the Internet contains a wealth of education-related information, cutting through the teacher-, student-, and parent-focused sites to find administrative management tools can be difficult. To help in this effort, strategies for helping administrators find relevant Internet resources are presented in this guide. The text provides a brief…

Much of what ails urban education is actually the result of continuous or fragmentary reform efforts. A study of 57 school districts shows how political pressures drive reform, and suggests ways to nurture a more focused agenda for urban schools. The chapters are: (1) "The Politics of Urban School Reform"; (2) "Organizational and Personal…

The School-Based Improvement Project (SBIP) is a cooperative venture between the Office of Community Education of the Massachusetts Department of Education and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS). SBIP is a multiyear professional-development initiative designed to improve the leadership of superintendents who are engaged…

This paper presents findings of a study that investigated the size and composition of the corps of school district administrators in North Carolina. Findings suggest that most North Carolina school districts are staffed traditionally with regard to administration--concentrating on district operation, the instructional program, and federal or state…

To discover the ways that superintendents describe their perceptions and beliefs regarding their roles as instructional leaders, researchers interviewed 81 California superintendents selected on the basis of continuing upward trends in student achievement in their districts over a 3-year period. The participants were divided into nine groups that…

Presents nine propositions dealing with communication and implementation of innovations. For example, innovation diffusion depends on face-to-face personal contact, the teacher has very limited access to new ideas and innovations, and what is rational for the teacher may not be rational for the administrator or reformer. (Author/IRT)

Citing a proliferation of people and a duplication of functions, a superintendent rejects the notion that school boards should have their own staffs. (DW)

The superintendent, as the district educational leader, has responsibility toward the board of education and instructional staff. The latter function is encouraged and monitored by superintendents who use inservice programs, central office instructional and curriculum specialists, teacher committees, principals, and consultants to identify and…

A survey of Oregon school administrators explored the relationships among demographic characteristics, school building and school district constraints, and leadership impact. Methodology involved a mailed survey of 420 administrators, which yielded 319 responses, or a 70 percent response rate, and in-depth personal interviews with 144 respondents.…

The basic purposes of this book are to provide information for individuals seeking their first superintendency and to help incumbents improve their leadership skills. Since an overall perspective is essential, part 1 provides a brief history of the superintendency, followed by a presentation of a big picture perspective and a discussion of…