The enactment of various federal mandates has increased accountability measures for schools and superintendents. The mandates aim to increase student achievement and learning. With the growing diversity of student populations in schools, districts are required to address the varied academic and non-academic needs of students. As the system leader…

As the population of ELLs continues to increase, so do the mandates to address the achievement gap of this diverse population. While there is a consensus on the importance of improving the academic achievement of ELLs (Elfers & Stritikus, 2014; Russell, 2018; Sua´rez-Orozco et al., 2008) and there is growing research reinforcing the needs for…

While the likelihood and probability of school districts encountering major crises remain unknown, superintendents need to anticipate and prepare for such events that have the potential to threaten their organization. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the behaviors and actions of New York State public school superintendents…

Research has consistently shown that the quality of teachers working with students has a greater impact on academic achievement than any other school-related factor. However, close to a third of new teachers continue to leave the profession within their first 5 years of employment. In particular, hard-to-staff rural schools have struggled to…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the leadership styles and the extent to which central office administrators are using technology and compare this to the districts' practices regarding the integration of technology. The intent was to find if there was a correlation that existed between a digitally advanced administrator at the central…

Superintendents confront a number of external and internal demands as leaders of complex educational organizations. Compounding the external demands superintendents confront is the recent, heightened advancement of national educational reform policy occurring through the Clinton, Bush, and Obama Administrations. The federal education reform…

Across the country, school district superintendents are transforming into community school leaders. Responsible for systems of learning that also include school nutrition, bussing, safety, finances, community engagement, and so much more, superintendents recognize that they need a different strategy to effectively address the learning needs of the…

The role of school superintendent has become increasingly complex. As school district leaders deal with new curriculum standards, increased accountability, and limited financial resources, they are in need of quality professional development tailored to their needs. This qualitative study explores personal, cultural, and structural factors that…

Federal stimulus funding expired in 2011-12. NCLB performance mandates approached the 2013-14 deadline. The ESEA waiver became an option with first year of implementation, 2012-13. This convergence of forces and timeline provided the opportunity for this study. The study sought to explore whether or not superintendents from Connecticut,…

Scant attention has been devoted to the study of public school assistant superintendents, particularly to those charged with the responsibilities of overseeing district-wide practices in regard to curriculum and instruction. This study provided an analysis of the career aspirations, career satisfaction, career efficacy, and career longevity, as…

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of building principals toward superintendent leadership responsibilities and practices of goal setting, nonnegotiable goals for achievement and instruction, board alignment with support of district goals, monitoring goals for achievement and instruction, use of resources to support the…

For the last five years, the lives of New York City (NYC) public school educators have been governed by constant change. With certainty, every January or June heralded something new--restructured departments and offices, staff changes and new initiatives. One of the most interesting chapters in the history of the NYC school system unfolded in the…

Six years ago, to gauge the challenges facing new school system leaders, "The School Administrator" tracked the challenges of six superintendents who had assumed their first superintendency in summer 2001. The story of their experiences, "Superintendent Rookies," appeared in the magazine's October 2002 issue. The six…

This article presents and analyzes the findings of two recent studies related to female school superintendents and their respective experiences with the "professional victim syndrome" and the consequences of their career decisions. Those findings are synthesized with research and literature related to leadership skills and dispositions…

A biographical sketch of Dr. Lester E. Rounds, superintendent of Ramapo Central School District, Suffren, New York. The article describes the unorthodox methods and the humanized approach Dr. Rounds uses in his job. (DN)