This study investigated the ideal and actual criteria for selecting school superintendents as perceived by senior high school teachers and students, parents, administrators, and school board members. Its purpose was to determine if the ideal and actual criteria for selecting urban school superintendents would differ significantly as perceived (1) collectively by these five groups, (2) as perceived within each of the groups, and (3) as perceived by several groups (see below). Data were collected from 91 administrators, 300 parents, 150 teachers, and 14 school board members, in Newark, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. by administering a questionnaire. The findings indicated that ideal and actual criteria did differ significantly: (1) as perceived collectively by the five groups, (2) as perceived within the groups of senior high school students, parents, administrators and teachers, but (3) not within the school board members group. (Author/JM)