Rural Superintendents as Political Agents: Informed Activism and Advocacy With Grassroots Leadership in Appalachian Ohio

• In Event: Roundtable Session 56
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership in Rural Contexts

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the narratives of rural superintendents regarding their roles as political agents in public school settings and how they view themselves as grassroots advocates for student and community rights. Data collected served as the first phase of a larger explanatory sequential mixed methods study. Insights from superintendent narratives provided themes about the history, practice, and expectations of school leaders as political agents within their respective communities. These themes focused on activism and advocacy for equitable funding and policymaking that specifically related to transportation, testing, and technology. Findings describe and define how superintendents make meaning of their political and public obligations and provide data that can help leadership preparation programs better prepare candidates for meaningful political practice.

Authors

• Charles L. Lowery, Ohio University - Athens

• Chance D Mays, Mount Enterprise ISD

• Chetanath Gautam, Stephen F. Austin State University