Accessing the Superintendency: Successful Strategies of African American Female Superintendents

Abstract of the DissertationAccessing the Superintendency:Successful Strategies of African American Female Superintendents There is a dearth of literature on African American Female Superintendents. Literature that is available focuses on the barriers and challenges faced by these women as they move to the superintendency. There is little research focused on African American women as they moved from a position of agency into the superintendency. This qualitative study examined the strategic decisions of African American female superintendents. The study involved fourteen semi-structured interviews conducted by three researchers from July 2011 to December 2011. A three part conceptual framework was utilized: Black Feminist Framework Theory, the Achievement Goal Theory Framework, and Strategic Decision-Making. Findings from this study show African American women make meaning and construct an understanding of their career paths to the superintendency through education as credibility, preparation, strategic career decisions, core principles, relationships, focus on children, and shifting. The women in this study valued their relationships with their supervisors, subordinates, family, confidant and themselves. Words constantly repeated throughout interviews and social relationships included: supporter, lover, cooperative, giver, reflective, planner, and critical/guarded. The findings of this study highlighted how African American women engage in agency behavior to move the superintendency. Agency is defined as the belief they could be successful combined with the preparation to be successful as a superintendent. Findings from this study will assist aspiring superintendents, university faculty, and researchers on how African American women make meaning and construct understanding of their career paths to the superintendency, the strategic decisions they make in moving to the superintendency, and how gender and race inform those decisions.

Author

• Simpson Marcus, Angelique Donita

Language

• en

Keyword

• Women
• Strategic Decisions
• Agency
• African American Female Superintendents
• Educational Leadership
• Superintendency

Date created

• 2012

Type of Work

• Dissertation

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Educational Administration & Policy Studies

Degree

• Ed.D.

Advisor

• Roach, Virginia

Committee Member(s)

• Handy-Collins, Christine
• Wright, Travis

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/4f16c289p