How Support Systems Determine a Woman Superintendent’s Tenure

• In Event: Women in K-12 Leadership

Abstract

Whether women superintendents are working in small, rural districts or larger urban or suburban ones, the need for strong support systems is imperative for the longevity of the superintendent’s tenure. The purpose of this paper is to present findings of a qualitative interview study of 20 women superintendents, their experiences in attempting to build personal and community support systems, and the price that women superintendents pay when those systems are not available.

Authors

• Kerry Kathleen Robinson, University of Tennessee Knoxville

• Charol Shakeshaft, Virginia Commonwealth University