Systems in Motion: A Superintendent of Color Rewrites the Script of Adaptive Leadership

• In Event: Superintendent Leadership and Retention

Abstract

This study examines how adaptive leadership emerges in complex educational systems through a longitudinal case study of a first-year superintendent of color. Grounded in Complex Adaptive Systems Leadership (CASL), adaptive leadership, and equity-centered theory, the research explores how she navigates volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, and systemic resistance in politically charged school contexts. Drawing on interviews, field notes, and observations, findings reveal five micro-strategic behaviors and enduring personal traits that enabled adaptive practice. The study illustrates adaptive leadership as a compass for navigating dynamic challenges, emphasizing sensemaking, distributed authority, and reflective calibration. The proposed session presents an empirical model of CASL in action—rooted in intersectional experience—and advances understanding of equity-centered leadership in complex K–12 governance environments.

Author

• Karika Ann Parker, Western Michigan University