Females' Perspectives on Pursuing the Principalship: A Job Choice Theory Approach

• In Event: Educational Leadership Programs: Motivations for Preparation and Practice

Abstract

This study sought to understand the decision-making processes of females with administrative credentials who chose not to hold administrative positions. The following research question guided our work: How do women with administrative credentials describe factors for not holding building-level administrative positions? Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 10 women who hold administrative credentials but are not practicing administrators, three conclusions emerged:(1) Espoused incentives to obtaining administrative credentials involved economic status and relative worth factors of the job, (2) decisions made by participants to not pursue building-level administrative positions were dominantly related to psychological needs and influenced by nonpecuniary aspects of the work, and (3) other factors involving decisions not to serve as administrators were influenced by job requirements and expectations.

Authors

• Kimberly Jamison, The George Washington University

• Abebayehu Aemero Tekleselassie, The George Washington University