Date of Award

2001

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology

Abstract

This study sought to identify the factors that impact the decision to seek career advancement to the position of superintendent. The purpose of the study was to clarify the relationship of the personal and professional characteristics and to determine whether these characteristics were different between males and females. The second area under study focused on the internal and external factors associated with the position of superintendent. The final component in the study focused on the mentoring/support process available to females and males. The study further sought to determine the interrelationship of these characteristics and the role they play in making the decision to seek the position of superintendent, and to identify if the pattern of the characteristics are different for males and females. The methodology of the study utilized the combined method of qualitative and quantitative studies. Furthermore the study was based upon the grounded theory approach of data analysis. This multiple stage data collection approach looks at the interrelationships of various categories of information. Two hundred surveys were sent to public school administrators in Indiana. Subjects were selected from the 2000 Indiana Directory of Schools and the 2000–01 Indiana Association of Public School Administrators Membership Directory. In addition to the analysis of survey data, sixteen participants were selected for a phone interview. One hundred seventeen administrators responded to the survey, and fourteen agreed to participate in the phone interview. The study found that the categories under investigation did not yield a difference based upon gender when affecting the decision to become a superintendent or not. The age of entering administration, size and type of district, type of mentoring as well as professional preparation may play more of a role in making this decision than gender.

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