The purpose of this research study was to identify factors that lead to a positive relationship between school boards and superintendents and the overall importance of this relationship. Furthermore, this study looked at conflict resolution between school boards and superintendents and the influence of this relationship on student achievement. Two…

The author presents a summary of the changing role of the traditional superintendent within the United States through the lens of how this work can be challenged or encouraged by the relationship with her or his respective board. The author emphasizes how the evolving roles of both the superintendent and school board member have contributed to the…

The problem explored in this study was that the state education agency recommended school board members of low-performing school districts participate in a governance training called student outcomes governance to address student achievement, yet no data suggested the training changed school board members' understanding of how to create policies…

A beloved, respected, and highly accomplished superintendent in a rural, high-risk district, Mr. Carroll, is confronted with dissident board members for the first time in his 7-year tenure. Two newly elected members have strained relationships between current board members and are calling for his resignation based upon what they perceive as low…

Concerns about a strong positive correlation between leadership and student success (Wood et al., 2013) coupled with community input around hiring from outside an organization, as opposed to hiring from within, contributes to the complexity of filling superintendent vacancies The limited research available on this issue is amplified due to the…

Those tasked with leading large school districts direct incredibly complex organizations in what are often contentious political and social contexts, with powerful stakeholder groups espousing conflicting policy priorities. Because of their high-profile positions, superintendents often face uniquely persistent and powerful resistance and must…

Superintendents, functioning as the local school boards' chief executive officers, play a fundamental role in improving schools. While teachers and principals have been given a prominence in students´ learning outcomes, the perspective of superintendents as instructional leaders is often forgotten. Based on a nationwide survey of Swedish school…

Counties, districts, and schools have had to respond to ever-shifting issues related to COVID-19. This brief describes the complex challenges that district superintendents faced, which often required expertise in areas beyond traditional expectations for the role, particularly in public health. The brief gives examples of crisis management…

In this article, we extend and complement previous studies on self-descriptions of superintendents' administrative work by examining the influential role of a relatively new actor in charter schools: the charter school district superintendent. In particular, we examine the influence of a charter district superintendent's leadership on…

Superintendent turnover has been rampant in the public school district in Guam, an unincorporated United States territory; there have been 18 superintendents since the 1981. This qualitative study aimed to identify and analyze potential factors affecting the superintendency in Guam. Social systems theory proposes a number of factors about the…

While there is a link between the work of school boards and positive outcomes for K12 students, some elected boards and superintendents continue to struggle with effective governance practices, a dynamic which can contribute to diminished public confidence. This article explores the most common challenges, their impact, and the role of…

The researcher seeks to address the needed changes to superintendent evaluation by suggesting an integrated formative evaluation process that balances both the need for accountability and ongoing professional growth and support (Hallinger, Heck, & Murphy, 2014; Duke, 1990). The nuances of the superintendent and school board relationship…

This study examined the role of Wisconsin superintendents in the professional development of school boards as related to Eadie's (2009) keys to high-impact governing. The quantitative, descriptive study surveyed 129 Wisconsin superintendents on their perceptions of their roles and responsibilities regarding school board professional development.…

Women superintendents have increased in number of positions held in the United States, but they are still underrepresented in the superintendent role. Women continue to be studied in their representation in the superintendent role. In this study, a content analysis was conducted of 51 U.S. dissertations relating to women superintendents located in…

Eight culprits in the systematic mass incarceration of black people are interrogated in this fictitious courtroom proceeding. Each defendant is somehow involved in the ecosystem of schooling that ruins the lives of millions of black students and their families via racist discipline policies and practices. Accountability for the insufficient…