Leadership Actions and Structures Superintendents Believe to Enhance Superintendent Longevity

Leadership Actions and Structures Superintendents Believe to Enhance Superintendent Longevity
Author: Susanna Vaulx Russell
Publisher:
Total Pages: 282
Release: 2014
Genre:
ISBN:

The modern American superintendency faces many challenges, including a national concern that there is a demonstrated shortage of qualified school superintendents in the United States. Reported superintendent tenure ranges from 2.5-4.8 years. Various research and anecdotal data identify and illustrate the complex factors influencing superintendent tenure, and in turn, organizational stability and student achievement. In Texas, superintendents identify strained relationships with the school board president, superintendent/school board communication and relations, and the inability to accomplish goals with the board as significant factors in their length of tenure. Superintendent success in creating and sustaining effective working relationships with his or her boards of trustees and various stakeholder groups is predictive of his or her longevity. Superintendents must successfully navigate interactions with their boards of trustees, as well as internal and external special interest groups, and the greater voting community. Studies abound, regarding causal factors in truncated superintendent tenure, as well as the intrinsic challenges of effectively managing the myriad functions of the superintendency. Those studies primarily focus on interactions with the school board, or describe failed superintendencies from a postmortem perspective. However, the research literature lacks qualitative studies that focus attention on successful superintendent leadership strategies, which have contributed to increased superintendent tenure, and have resulted in increased organizational stability and higher levels of student achievement.

Superintendent Leadership

Superintendent Leadership
Author: Elaine L. Wilmore
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 177
Release: 2008-02-13
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1412955416

Written by leadership expert Elaine L. Wilmore, this ideal resource helps aspiring and practicing superintendents attain proficiency in the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards.

The Contemporary Superintendent

The Contemporary Superintendent
Author: Meredith Mountford
Publisher: IAP
Total Pages: 269
Release: 2019-06-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1641135263

What is (R)Evolutionary Leadership? Why Does it Matter? How can contemporary school district administrators, specifically superintendents, contend with so many difficult, and almost impossible competing commitments? Building on the definitions of revolution, revolutionary, evolution, and evolutionary, the notion of (R)Evolutionary Leadership emerged while discussing the need for school district leaders to push back against the status quo while improving teacher and leadership practices, improving student learning outcomes, engaging with the community, and ensuring decision making processes that include check and balance systems that are just, fair, and equitable for all. The chapters in this book introduce superintendents or research on superintendents in which these tenants were practiced; both in their ability to enact radical change by “overthrowing” the status quo – as well as evolutionary in their deliberate approach to viewing change as a process they can control over time. These leaders were willing to confront and defy practices and policies that were counter to student well-being and achievement while concurrently knowing how to reach their desired results. The chapters chosen for inclusion in this volume are those that offered a glimpse of these revolutionary tenants in practice. We ask that you consider this emerging concept as you explore the chapters of our book. You will find the (R)evolutionary Leaders you meet in the chapters know how to evolve, not just to stay alive, but to ensure the organization (school) remains relevant and vital to society. These leaders use their positional power, social capital, and expertise to advocate for policies and practices that are in the best interest of the school community and they innovate in ways that challenge the status quo. You will also find practices that are (R)Evolutionary and provide ways for leaders to innovate, collaborate, and simply take care of themselves and those around them. Our description does not seek to support or define or delineate the characteristics of a (R)Evolutionary Leader or how one might enact (R)Evolutionary Leadership–but serves as a way to (re)think the way we view the vastly complex work of school district administrators, specifically the superintendent. (R)Evolutionary leadership may change our ways of thinking about the significant advocacy role a superintendent can play in influencing both practice and policy to enact the change necessary to move forward issues of justice, equity, and quality in PK-12 schools and further to improve educational and social outcomes for those served.

The Superintendent and the CFO

The Superintendent and the CFO
Author: Brian L. Benzel
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2021-05-15
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1475847572

Building a strong relationship with the CFO is essential for superintendents seeking to build sustainable educational programs for all students. Benzel and Hoover use their CFO and superintendent experience to identify what current and future leaders in both roles need to know and be able to do with respect to fiscal leadership and improved student learning. This book emphasizes that a focus on student achievement must be central to fiscal planning. The authors discuss the role values play in forming the leadership team, how to create a climate for success through collaborative strategies and ways to build systems strength to cope with uncertainty in fiscal planning. Using this leadership base, they outline the key management elements that must be in place to assure sound fiscal practices that monitor fiscal status and manage cash flow to mitigate uncertainty. Benchmarks for organizational success enhance communication with governing boards, internal audiences and taxpayers. This second edition adds perspective about detecting and address fraud or embezzlement and shares leadership perspective on capital facility planning and management. This book provides leaders with an outline of what do during every quarter of the fiscal year to exercise effective fiscal and educational leadership.

Superintendent Leadership and Environmental Sustainability in New York State Public Schools

Superintendent Leadership and Environmental Sustainability in New York State Public Schools
Author: Jennifer Spring
Publisher:
Total Pages: 185
Release: 2013
Genre: Educational leadership
ISBN:

What has not been studied to any great degree are superintendent perceptions of environmental sustainability and the extent to which superintendents in New York State believe they have led their districts in integrating environmental sustainability into district structures, policies and practices. This exploratory study investigated superintendent self-reported participation in leadership strategies and leadership actions that support environmental sustainability (ES) as well as the influence of a superintendent's knowledge, value, and priority of ES. A researcher-developed online survey was emailed through Survey Monkey to all New York State superintendents, excluding those working in New York City, and resulted in a 19% response rate. The data revealed that superintendents did not view themselves as highly knowledgeable of ES. While the majority of superintendents held ES as a high value, it was not enough to get them to lead their districts in strategies and actions that supportedES. The key driver for influencing superintendents to lead their districts in strategies and actions was whether or not ES was considered a high priority. The data indicated that the leadership capacity for making the transition to ES is missing and that the link among knowledge, value and priority, or their collective synergy of leadership capacity, are the keys to moving ESforward in New York State. Increasing superintendent capacity to lead environmental sustainability in New York State's public school districts is paramount. The results of this study will be of interest to public school system leaders and policymakers.

The First-Year Experiences of Successful Superintendents

The First-Year Experiences of Successful Superintendents
Author: Kerry Roberts
Publisher: R&L Education
Total Pages: 153
Release: 2012-03-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1610487109

These qualitative case studies give the prospective superintendent a real-life look at life on the other side of the district CEO’s desk. Two dozen superintendents reflect upon their first challenges and growth opportunities that arose during that all-important first year.

The Savvy Superintendent

The Savvy Superintendent
Author: Linda K. Wagner
Publisher: R&L Education
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2010-06-16
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1607097222

The Savvy Superintendent examines the art of district leadership from the perspective of top practitioners in the field of education. Insights and comments from in-depth interviews with over fifty current and former successful superintendents_including American Association of School Administrators (AASA) Superintendents of the Year and runners up for the award_are woven throughout the narrative to exemplify best-in-class, real-world applications of the behaviors, attitudes, and attributes that great instructional leaders employ as they carry out their most important work: instructional leadership. This book provides practical, hands-on advice for school district superintendents. It is designed to provide needed but rarely taught ideas, insights, and information that superintendents can use to incorporate effective practices into their own school districts.

Leadership Teaming

Leadership Teaming
Author: Cathie E. West
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 153
Release: 2008-11-10
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1452212708

A principal and a superintendent present experience- and research-based strategies for developing strong superintendent-principal teams through leadership, communication, and collaboration.

Learning From the Best

Learning From the Best
Author: Sandra Harris
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2009-02-11
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1412959845

'Provides a rare opportunity to get inside the heads of the best superintendents in the country. Harris' book captures essential craft knowledge that every superintendent needs to succeed in the job' --Robert S. McCord, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 'An excellent book for experienced and new superintendents. I kept coming across little nuggets and big ideas that I couldn't wait to implement immediately' --Janie L. Nusser, Superintendent South Seneca Central School District, NY In today's challenging educational environment, superintendents need proven strategies that will help them lead their schools and districts successfully. This topical resource offers a collection of proven best practices from award-winning superintendents. Representing school districts with diverse populations, school sizes, and communities, 22 current and former superintendents from around the country detail in their own words the practices that have been central to their professional and districtwide success. Readers can learn from the wisdom and experience of these outstanding leaders on topics such as: - Transformational leadership that provides direction for the district - Community building, outreach, and effective partnerships - Responding to changing times, changing standards, and student needs - Developing strategies for overcoming barriers to effective reform Learning From the Best is a valuable resource for new and experienced superintendents seeking to steer their districts through today's most pressing educational issues.