Superintendents spend most of their time on administrative tasks and have a significant role in improving instructional outcomes. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the how superintendents envision their role in improving student achievement, as well as the actions they take to enact that role. Semi-structured interviews with 14 superintendents yielded several key findings: Participants identified as managers who ensured successful operation of their districts, mediated among stakeholders in the community, and facilitated collaboration by empowering educators. Additionally, participants adapted to challenges and barriers created by the COVID-19 pandemic, focused on increasing student engagement to improve achievement, used available funding to support instruction, and made data-driven decisions to improve student achievement. Regarding implications for practice, the findings suggest superintendents should more actively participate in professional learning communities and build strong teams that enable them to prioritize student achievement. Recommendations included repeating this study once the pandemic subsides using a random sample of participants unknown to the researcher from equal-sized school districts to improve validity. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]