Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

Abstract

This study examined experienced school district leaders informal and formal mentoring perspectives in times of stressful educational reform. In order to accomplish this qualitative research study, I sought to (a) gain an understanding of how experienced school district leaders viewed the presence of educational reforms, (b) gauge whether experienced school district leaders acknowledge stressors induced by reforms, (c) understand how experienced school district leaders grew into their roles, and (d) learn what role mentor-mentee relationships play in experienced school district leaders sustained effectiveness and success. The purpose of this qualitative grounded constructivist study was to define better and more deeply understand experienced school district leaders perceptions of informal and formal mentoring in times of stressful educational reform. This research design included data collection from one-on-one semi-structured interviews with ten experienced school district leaders. The one-on-one interviews included five female superintendents and five male superintendents from rural, suburban, and urban areas around Indiana. I sought to identify any themes that presented themselves among the participants responses through qualitative data analysis. The responses to the semi-structured interviews and follow-up meetings were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify common themes among their experiences as school district leaders. Themes identified included the participants strongly perceiving a disconnect with legislators and the stressors reforms engender, an uncanny ability to filter reforms discernibly, consciously exercising a growth mindset, ardently collaborating with colleagues, diagnostically viewing mentor-mentee relationships as a fundamental aspect of their job responsibilities, and revering mentoring as a duty irrespective of whether they had a mentor as first-year school superintendents. This studys findings serve as a voice for new and aspiring school district leaders as they contemplate their next steps in leadership, prepare for school district leadership positions, or take on new school district leadership positions. Additionally, this studys findings may benefit experienced school district leaders who employ a growth mindset by actively reflecting on the effectiveness of their leadership practices and desire growing as a leader. Because of the challenges faced by participants in this study, the findings may also provide school board members useful information on experienced school district leaders perceptions, who expressed the challenges of managing the board relations or preparing to hire a new school district leader. Additionally, this studys findings may benefit higher education institution leaders looking to garner qualitative insight into what graduates learn in their preparatory programs translates to once they are actively serving in the profession. Last, the findings of this study offer legislators, policymakers, and other related officials a keen understanding of how experienced school district leaders perceive a disconnect with them and collectively emphasize the presence of stressors that reforms engender and how they carry the capacity of negatively impacting their leadership practices along with the staff and students they serve.

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