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.

Working Toward Success

Working Toward Success
Author: Amy E. Van Deuren
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 159
Release: 2016-02-10
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1475815549

The importance of positive board/superintendent relationships cannot be understated. The need to balance competing political pressures to create the best possible learning opportunities for students is ever present. Most importantly, board/superintendent relationships should be cultivated with openness and transparency among each other and the public. This book is a resource for both board members and superintendents, and explores issues related to the board/superintendent relationship and superintendent hiring practices. The book includes contributions from experienced and new superintendents and board members on a wide range of topics that boards and superintendents must navigate together successfully in order to move districts in a positive direction for students, staff, parents, and communities. This book is unique in that the intended audience is both boards and superintendents. It is not a resource wherein “experts” tell board members how they should conduct board business, nor a resource that informs superintendents how to “manage” school boards. Instead, the book promotes and encourages a productive working relationship and partnership that moves school districts forward in a positive manner.

An Analysis of the Relationship of Superintendent Leadership Orientation Style and District Performance Outcomes

An Analysis of the Relationship of Superintendent Leadership Orientation Style and District Performance Outcomes
Author: Edna Yvonne Davis Kennedy
Publisher:
Total Pages: 368
Release: 2015
Genre: Academic achievement
ISBN:

The purpose of the present study was to determine if a relationship existed between the perceived Leadership Orientation Styles (LOS) of Texas Public School Superintendents and district performance outcomes. Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal's Leadership Orientation Survey (1990), which defines action and behaviors into the four frames described below, was used to determine and form a contemporary profile of superintendent leadership styles. Superintendents in Texas (N=1037) were sent electronic surveys to assess perceived leadership styles of orientation. Data was collected and analyzed using the self-reporting Leadership Orientation Style Survey developed by Bolman and Deal (1990). Preliminary steps in the study included identification of a systematic approach to define and measure district performance outcomes as indicated on the Texas Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS). In order to identify district performance outcomes and quantify data as factor scores, variables from the Texas AEIS database were subjected to factor analysis. The analysis of the relationship between superintendent leadership orientation styles and district performance outcomes was reported by using canonical correlation and multiple regression interpretations. The model for Bolman and Deal's Leadership Orientation Survey (1990) views leadership from four differing frames of organizational thought: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic. Bolman and Deal (1990) describe these perspectives as a lens, or window, which frame tools of action and behavior. District performance outcomes included academic, advanced academic, and teacher characteristics to form a Valence Index of Performance (VIP) score. As educational systems and public schools become increasingly complex and reach levels of crisis proportion, superintendent must use sophisticated and creative leadership to approach today's epic demand must deal with the orientational school structure from a leadership vantage point of flexibility and multi-dimensional thought processes. Therefore, a study that reveals the style of superintendent leadership orientations can assist leaders to comprehend and address issues that arise in a school district. In conclusion, while the preset research study did not contribute to the superintendent leadership orientation style relationship to district performance outcomes many questions are still left unanswered. The demand for substantive research linking student achievement to superintendent leadership practices remains unchanged.

Leadership Stability in Relation to Board-superintendent Alignment

Leadership Stability in Relation to Board-superintendent Alignment
Author: Chad A. Krug
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2020
Genre:
ISBN:

Leadership stability matters, especially at the district level, for frequent superintendent turnovers can have disruptive effects on staff morale, student performance, and organizational finance (e.g., Alsbury, 2008; Banicki & Pacha, 2011; Diem, Frankenberg, & Cleary, 2015; Grissom & Andersen, 2012; Grissom & Mitani, 2016). Optimally, the school board and superintendent would work orchestrally to provide quality and equitable education to all children as the core of district governance, while attending to other stakeholders' needs within the district and local communities. Yet, research consistently points to the role confusion associated with the complexities of the superintendent-board arrangement for high turnover in superintendency, due to power structures and issues such as micromanaging involved in such relationships (e.g., Brunner, 1998; Cole & Holland, 2017; Mountford, 2004). This study reported here examined the notion of superintendent-board leadership alignment and its effects on the district leadership stability. Equally important if not more is that this study tested such an underlying structure of (mis)alignment, using a self-designed survey instrument. The population for this study was the public school superintendents of Kansas and their respective board presidents. Participants completed an online survey that contained demographic items and items on leadership preferences across five pillars of effectiveness. The four guiding research questions were: (a) How do superintendents perceive their leadership preferences? (b) How do school board presidents perceive the boards' leadership preferences? (c) To what extent does the level of alignment of superintendent-board leadership preferences impact the tenure of the district superintendent?, and (d) What are the relationships between district size measured by student enrollment and the level of alignment of superintendent-board leadership preferences? Of the 282 possible superintendents, 202 completed the questionnaire; and out of the 286 possible board presidents, 158 completed the questionnaire. There were 133 pairs of superintendents and board presidents; in other words, the pair served in the same school district. The validity and reliability of the survey were measured, using exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alphas. Logistic regressions and simple correlation analyses were conducted to examine relationships between alignment and superintendent tenure as well as district size and alignment. The exploratory factor analysis results revealed that there were five factors, that is, five possible underlying tenets for board-superintendent leadership alignment. They were named as "Two-way communication," "Alignment through mission and vision," "Collegiality and collaboration," "Student achievement and quality instruction," and "Procedural." Only Factor 2, "Alignment through mission and vision" was found to be significantly related to superintendent tenure. In terms of district size's effects on leadership alignment, only Factor 3, "Centering on collegiality and collaboration" was found to be have a significant relationship with district size. From this study's findings, recommendations are offered to improve superintendent and board member governance structures as well as the focus on aspects of the shared governance role necessary to increase district stability.

Effective Superintendent-School Board Practices

Effective Superintendent-School Board Practices
Author: Rene S. Townsend
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 153
Release: 2006-09-14
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1483360067

"The authors fill a gap in the literature by providing a practical, experience-based look at how superintendents should approach the most important relationship in their professional lives. Working effectively with school boards is what it is all about, and this book shows you how." -Paul D. Houston, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators "This book provides practical insights and useful ideas to help district leaders who are serious about keeping the educational interest of children first among their priorities." -Pedro A. Noguera, Professor, New York University "Clearly lays out the important role the superintendent has in leading the district in partnership with the board of education. This book is well worth the time of every current and aspiring superintendent and school board member!" -Anne Bryant, Executive Director, National School Boards Association "This book is a useful tool in building district governance teams. The authors′ collective wisdom provides valuable insight for superintendents and school board members." -Luan B. Rivera, President, California State Boards Association "A wonderful, clear, and jargon-free primer on how to be a successful superintendent. This book is must reading for superintendents and a real plus for school boards." -Dede Alpert, Former California State Senator, Former Member, California State Assembly "An outstanding fieldbook for those interested in down-to-earth strategies for navigating the complexities of providing leadership in school districts." -General Davie, Jr., Retired Superintendent of Schools Foster a strong superintendent-school board relationship centered on quality teaching and learning! Effective Superintendent-School Board Practices helps current and future superintendents and school board members develop an effective governance team that prioritizes quality teaching and learning. Designed for practicing and aspiring superintendents and school board members, this exceptional book relates the everyday experiences and challenges faced by this important district team. Combining 84 years of service as superintendents in urban, rural, and suburban school districts, the authors offer: Real-life vignettes that highlight problems, successes, key points, and useful practices Indispensable information on building relationships, creating a team, managing conflict, and staying focused on the mission and priorities of the district Reflective practice questions and self-assessments throughout This rich resource offers knowledge, skills, and strategies to teach and inspire current and future leaders, based on the experiences of practitioners who have learned what works and what doesn′t, leaving valuable time to focus on student achievement.

Superintendent Leadership Orientations and Its Relationship to School Board Satisfaction

Superintendent Leadership Orientations and Its Relationship to School Board Satisfaction
Author: Warren Leroy Moss
Publisher:
Total Pages: 310
Release: 2002
Genre: Educational leadership
ISBN:

Purpose. Using previous research (Deal & Peterson; 1994; Smith, 1996) as a conceptual framework, this study examined the leadership orientations of district superintendents in a mid-western state. The investigation explored two types of leadership orientations: technical and symbolic leadership. District superintendents as well as their board-president were asked to assess the leadership orientation of the district superintendent. Also, this study analyzed the relationship of the superintendents' leadership orientation with their annual evaluation. Superintendents' evaluations were utilized to explore whether or not the leadership orientation of the superintendent influenced the level of a school board's satisfaction as expressed by the annual evaluation. Leadership orientations were analyzed in relationship to various personal, professional, and district demographic variables in order to provide an understanding of how different leadership orientations were perceived by the school board presidents in particular demographic areas. This study will provide a better understanding of the two types of leadership orientations discussed and how these orientations have an influence on the perceptions of board presidents. Procedures. Two hundred and sixty-two public school superintendents were selected to participate in the study. Three survey instruments were used to analyze leadership orientation and the district superintendent's personal, professional, and district demographics. Quantitative research methods were used to provide information on superintendent and school board president's perceptions of the superintendent's leadership orientation. The superintendent's annual formal evaluation was explored with the perceived leadership orientation. Findings. The findings of this study revealed that superintendents perceived themselves as being symbolic in their leadership, whereas school board presidents' perceptions indicated the superintendents were more technical in their leadership orientation. Yet, school board presidents expressed more satisfaction with the symbolic leadership orientation than technical orientation they perceived their superintendents to have exhibited. Therefore, the findings of this study suggested that school board presidents revealed a preference in symbolic leadership orientation in their superintendents' performance to influence and create satisfaction.

A Study on the School Board Member and Superintendent Relationship and Its Perceived Impact on a School District

A Study on the School Board Member and Superintendent Relationship and Its Perceived Impact on a School District
Author: Hani Joseph Youssef
Publisher:
Total Pages: 111
Release: 2017
Genre:
ISBN:

The purpose of this study was to gain information and knowledge regarding the perceived impact the relationship between the superintendent and school board members had on a school district. This study also explored which characteristics school board members and superintendents believe are essential to effective school board member and superintendent relationships. This quantitative study utilized survey research methods. Participants answered four demographic questions and 35 primary questions that addressed components of the research questions that frame this study. Questionnaire items were answered on a Likert-type scale that indicated the participants' level of satisfaction (items 1-25) with the school board member and superintendent relationship and level of importance (items 26-35) related to essential characteristics of effective school board member and superintendent relationships. Survey methodology was appropriate for this particular study because the aim of the study was to investigate the perceived relationship between two defined stakeholder groups, school board members and superintendents, and those groups' perceptions of how that relationship impacts educational accountability, the instructional program, leadership roles, board-superintendent conflicts, teamwork, and school-community relations. Participants were selected from the state of California database system that includes contact information for school board members and superintendents within the state. The researcher had access to participants because he secured the support from the California School Board Association (CSBA) Board of Directors. The CSBA Board of Directors allowed the researcher to use their comprehensive e-mail database to contact superintendents and school board members within the state of California. In order to keep the random sample sizes as large as possible, invitations to participate were sent to 250 superintendents and 350 school board members in the CSBA database system