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The Underrepresentation of African American Female Public School Superintendents

Author : Joylynn LaGrace Pruitt

Publisher :

Page : 46 pages

File Size : 39,33 MB

Release : 2015

Category : African American women

ISBN :

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Book Description

Abstract Women, particularly African American women, have been underrepresented in educational administrative leadership at the level of public school district superintendent. Because so few women currently hold the position of public school district superintendent, studies on the characteristics of individuals who become public school district superintendents have almost exclusively been focused on men; therefore the role of school district superintendent has continued to elude very qualified women particularly African American women and other women of color who seek the position of superintendent. This study addressed the perceptions, barriers, and challenges which impede the advancement of African American females who aspire to the position of public school district superintendency. This study was limited to a sample size of six African American female superintendents. A narrative inquiry methodology utilized the semi-standardized interview which identified reoccurring themes. Reflections of successful African American female superintendents are revealed to encourage more African American female aspirants to seek the public school superintendency and thereby shattering the glass ceiling impacted by race and gender. The study provided implications for African American females who aspire to the superintendency, relative to preparation, practice, and policy.



An In-depth Examination of the Underrepresentation of Female Superintendents

Author : Kelly M. Sollberger

Publisher :

Page : 264 pages

File Size : 45,35 MB

Release : 2020

Category : Educational leadership

ISBN :

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Book Description

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the contributing factors impacting a female administrator's decision regarding whether to obtain a superintendent certificate and whether to become a superintendent. The problem addressed is the need to have a more representative group of superintendents, which would include a higher percentage of female superintendents. Through questionnaires and in-depth interviews, the researcher determined the contributing factors of why female leaders do not aspire to the superintendency. All female building principals and central office leaders in the 22 school districts of one suburban metropolitan county were invited to participate in the questionnaire and the sample size of participants was 40 women. Research questions included: (a) What factors influence women's decisions to obtain a superintendent certificate if they have already achieved a doctorate in an educational leadership related field?; (b) What factors influence women's decisions to not obtain a superintendent certificate if they have already achieved a doctorate in an educational leadership related field?; (c) What specific factors deter women from pursuing the superintendency if they have obtained a superintendent certificate?; (d) What specific factors persuade women to pursue the superintendency if they have pursued, or are currently pursuing the superintendency? Findings from this study revealed "politics" as a deterrent to the superintendency. Women also felt that work-life balance is impossible to obtain in a superintendent role, and they place a high value on balance. Women early and late in their administrative careers cited "timing" as a reason they have not pursued the superintendency yet. Women who planned to be superintendents shared a belief in themselves. Many of the women had also been told by other people that they should consider the superintendency, which gave them self-confidence.





The Under-Representation of Women Superintendents in the State of Louisiana

Author : Dinah M. Robinson

Publisher : America Star Books

Page : 148 pages

File Size : 17,73 MB

Release : 2014-02

Category : Education

ISBN : 9781627722667

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Book Description

Inequalities in the representation of women in higher administrative public school positions are a product of historical and societal patterns (M. Byrd-Blake, 2000). These patterns have determined the constraints women have faced and continue to face when they attempt to obtain administrative positions in public school systems. C. Shakeshaft (1999) stated that women represent the majority of the teaching profession (72%), but they represent the minority of top positions in education, (14%). According to S.A Davies-Netzley (1998), women continue to be at the bottom of the corporate organizational charts, have fewer chances for advancements, and earn less income than men in similar positions. S. Eakle's (1995) study on women superintendents in the United States revealed that out of 1,074, only 157 were women. This lack of gender balance and related inequities raises the question of whether women are treated inequitably with regard to national statistics on administrative hiring. According to the Louisiana State Directory, only 20 of the 64 superintendents are women, which doubled the national percentages. Yet, women remain under-represented in the position of superintendent. This book examined the career paths of five women superintendents in the state of Louisiana and the under-representation of women superintendents in this state as well. Personal interviews, observations, and document analysis was used to gather data for this book.



Female School Superintendents in Tennessee

Author : Vicki Cameron Violette

Publisher :

Page : 0 pages

File Size : 29,32 MB

Release : 2006

Category : Feminism and education

ISBN :

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Book Description

The school superintendency is the most gender stratified executive position in the United States, with men 20 times more likely than women to advance from the level of teacher to the top leadership role in a school district (Skrla, 1999). Although the majority of teachers in public schools are women, the majority of superintendents are men (Bell & Chase, 1993; Blount, 1998; Brunner, 1999; Grogan, 1996; Mertz, 1991; Shakeshaft, 1989; Skrla, 1999; Young, 1999). Though women have made slight progress in moving into superintendent positions during the past few years, there is still a disproportionate under representation of females nationwide in these top-level positions (Bell & Chase, 1993; Grogan, 1999; Shakeshaft, 1989). Of the 136 school systems in 2003 in the state of Tennessee, 19 systems were led by women (Tennessee State Department of Education, 2004). The purpose of this study was to examine what barriers to the superintendency exist and how some females in the state of Tennessee have overcome these obstacles in achieving the position of superintendent of school systems. This phenomenon was investigated using the theory of "Gatekeeping" (Lewin, 1947, 1951; Shoemaker, 1991) as a theoretical framework and focused on the 19 female superintendents in the state of Tennessee. Furthermore, this qualitative study utilized a multiple case study design, with questionnaires, interviews, and field notes as sources of data. When investigating the barriers that women face, the findings included: a lack of aspiration and motivation; personal beliefs, attitudes and self-image; gender discrimination; and family responsibilities and expectations. When researching how barriers were overcome, the findings included: experience and education; sponsorship and mentors; preparation; family support; leadership style; right fit; and personal characteristics. There were two major conclusions from this study of perceived barriers and how women overcome these barriers associated with seeking a superintendent position. First, it appears that women continue to faces barriers in reaching the level of superintendency. Second, mentors and supporters appear to make a difference for women in successfully reaching the level of superintendent.



Gender Inequity in the Representation of Women as Superintendents in Mississippi Public Schools

Author : Deidre Joy Seale Smith

Publisher :

Page : 281 pages

File Size : 29,22 MB

Release : 2015

Category : Public schools

ISBN :

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Book Description

This qualitative study investigated the phenomenon of continuing underrepresentation of female superintendents in Mississippi K-12 public schools. The study was conducted during the 2014-2015 school year. At the time of the study, women represented 23% of the overall population of superintendents in Mississippi public schools. Fourteen women who were serving as superintendents in Mississippi during the 2014-2015 school year participated. Interviews were conducted, and the qualitative data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The data were analyzed using constructs associated with feminist theory, feminist poststructuralist and feminist standpoint theoretical frameworks. Two primary themes emerged as a result of this research study. First, gender discrimination represented the primary factor impacting every area of the female superintendents' lives -- both professionally and personally; and second, the women often denied the existence of or failed to recognize any existence of challenges associated with gender. The findings resulted in specific implications that guided the development of recommendations for policy, practice, and future research. Recommendations for policy and practice included initiating dialogue associated with gender bias between women and men, specifically in the field of education, and the inclusion of gender consciousness as required components in undergraduate education and graduate educational leadership programs. Finally, a number of recommendations for future research were provided, including replicating the current study utilizing a case study methodology, exploring the intersection of gender and race relative to the superintendency, and analyzing current education and educational leadership graduate and undergraduate degree programs of study in colleges throughout Mississippi for inclusion (or exclusion) of gender consciousness. --Page ii.



Overcoming Barriers

Author : Claire Michael Miller

Publisher :

Page : 175 pages

File Size : 18,11 MB

Release : 2009

Category : Minority women

ISBN :

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Book Description

Women currently represent the largest number of teachers in the United States but remain underrepresented in the superintendent position. This suggests that the superintendency has been influenced by patriarchy. If women are to break through the barriers that prevent them from attaining a superintendency, we will need to understand the social construction of the position and women superintendents' experiences with barriers. What do women in the superintendency think about what it means to be one of a few women in a male-dominated occupation? How does gender consciousness play a role in the ability to examine and understand barriers? How do characteristics of the position interacting with gender? Literature is reviewed surrounding these questions and includes barriers with feminine expectations, career mobility, good old boy network, mentors, family obligations, and the selection process. A qualitative approach was used to examine the experiences of five female superintendents. Additionally, race was masked to protect the identities of the women. Patriarchy was identified as the central structure for understanding the women's experiences with barriers. This study also sought to draw on the theoretical model of sociocultural explanations for the underrepresentation of women in the superintendency. This model analyzes gender differences and focuses on sex role stereotyping, career socialization, and women's culture to describe women's experiences. The findings indicate that women are beginning to overcome some of the barriers; however, many of them are still present. This inquiry is important because it allows us to examine the barriers within the superintendency in order to provide a new perspective to the body of literature that has historically been grounded in almost exclusively white, male, and heterosexist epistemologies. This new perspective includes methods to overcome the barriers rather than navigate them.





Factors Influencing the Underrepresentation of Women in the Role of Superintendency as Perceived by Selected School Board Members and Superintendents of School Districts in Region XX, Education Service Center in Texas

Author : Vivian S. Barrios

Publisher :

Page : pages

File Size : 10,15 MB

Release : 2004

Category :

ISBN :

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Book Description

School board members, superintendents, and assistant superintendents from Region XX, Education Service Center in Texas were surveyed to examine their perceptions regarding the underrepresentation of women in the role of superintendency. Individual t-tests were performed and frequency data were utilized to obtain group means. When compared, the administrative group indicates that there is a significant difference (p



Destined to Rule the Schools

Author : Jackie M. Blount

Publisher : State University of New York Press

Page : 268 pages

File Size : 24,29 MB

Release : 1998-03-19

Category : Education

ISBN : 9780791496916

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Book Description

Winner of the 1998 American Educational Studies Association Critics' Choice Titles In 1909, when she became the superintendent of the Chicago schools, Ella Flagg Young proclaimed that women were "destined to rule the schools of every city." After all, women accounted for nearly eighty percent of all teachers by 1910 and their ascendance into formal school leadership positions could not be far behind. After World War II, however, a backlash against single women educators and a rigid realignment of gender roles in schools contributed to a rapid decline of women school administrators across the country, a decline from which there has been little recovery to the present. Destined to Rule the Schools tells the story of women and school leadership in America from the common school era to the present. In a broad sense, it offers an historical account of how teaching became women's work and the school superintendency men's. Blount explores how power in school employment has been structured unequally by gender. It focuses on the superintendency because an important component of the effort to establish control of schools has occurred in contesting the definition of this position. Unique and important contributions of this volume include: the only published comprehensive statistical study describing the number of women superintendents throughout the twentieth century, an analysis suggesting that the superintendency may have become an appointive position in part to remove it from the influence of newly enfranchised women voters, a discussion of the role of homophobia in creating and perpetuating rigid gender divisions in school employment, and a broad analysis that integrates the histories of teaching and school administration.