Term of Award

Spring 2006

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development

Committee Chair

James F. Burnham

Committee Member 1

Gregory Chamblee

Committee Member 2

Walter Polka

Committee Member 3

Linda Arthur

Abstract

During the study, the researcher investigated the overall characteristics of the Georgia public school superintendency. The school superintendent has many functions, but all of these functions are to achieve one primary goal: the best possible educational environment for all children. Demands that are now being placed on school superintendents require them to create conditions in which all students can increase achievement, while creating these conditions with fewer and fewer resources. The superintendent constantly seeks consensus between the board, staff, and the community to make the best educational decisions for all students. The superintendent is a leader in the true sense, for he/she must always bring out the best in all stakeholders of the school community. A descriptive research study was developed to gather data from all 180 Georgia school superintendents. From those surveyed, 86 responded to the survey. The researcher addressed superintendent perceptions regarding school board/superintendent relations, challenges facing the school superintendents, and the school superintendents' level of satisfaction with their careers. The researcher gathered both qualitative and quantitative data. The results from this study clearly showed that school superintendents have a strong understanding of their relations with school board members, challenges in the superintendency, and their levels of career satisfaction. Superintendents responded positively regarding their relations with school board members. Of the challenges identified by school superintendents, finance and state/federal mandates proved to be the greatest problems. Superintendents reported moderate to considerable stress in the school superintendency. Despite the challenges and stress, superintendents indicated achievement of career satisfatcion as school superintendents. The researcher's findings provided data that was not available for the state of Georgia and strenghtened data from previously national studies on the school superintendency.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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