Accessing Administration: Women's Experiences in Becoming Educational Administrators

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Examining Women's Paths Into and Experience in Leadership

Abstract

Education is a highly feminized profession except at administrative levels and studying authority gaps can advance gender equity in educational administration. This purpose of this study was to examine women’s access to educational administration positions. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 educational administrators to understand women’s experiences from their own perspectives. Findings indicate two key themes from the interviews: (1) relationships, especially their utility in advancing careers and expanding social networks, and (2) the necessary acumen in navigating organizational and occupational systems. This study sets the stage for future research to more comprehensively study accessing and hiring in educational administration.

Author

• Katherine Merriweather, Austin Community College