This study examined the role of the superintendent as it is perceived by school administrators and school board presidents. The study was limited to public schools in Texas located within Region 20 ESC. Responses to a Likert-type instrument were solicited from school board presidents, superintendents and other school administrators (n=163). The questionnaire generated data regarding perceptions toward the role of the superintendent in nine different domains containing 38 different criteria. Results from an ANOVA showed no significant difference at the alpha level of .05. Sidak post-hoc tests were run as well, but because the ANOVA did not reveal any significant difference, the post-hoc data was not presented. The primary conclusion drawn from this study was that the perceived conflict in the literature that exists between boards and superintendents that is prevalent enough to cause a superintendent to leave a district, was not brought to light in this study. Board presidents, superintendents and other school administrators all appear to have the same perceptions regarding the role of the superintendent. This questionnaire did not reveal the source of conflict. However, the data revealed that board presidents, superintendents and other school administrators see the superintendent’s role in the same way. The findings from this research may indicate that as a result of extensive board training, there may be improved respect and communication between the board, superintendents, and other school administrators. Recommendations include, among others: 1. Research into the development of an instrument that examines a more reflective relationship between the board and superintendent dealing with the aspects of personality, character, prejudices and attitudes. 2. Through the legal process, to increase the length of a term for board members from the current three-year term to at least five years. 3. Through the legal process, modify the Open Meetings Act to allow boards the freedom to conduct self-evaluations and “board performance” issues behind closed doors. This would eliminate the perception of the board “airing dirty laundry” in public.

Previous research offers insights about characteristics of successful superintendents and provides generic lists of attributes (Collins, 2005 and Schleuning, 2003). However, little is known about specific characteristics of Hispanic male superintendents who have been successful in ascending to a superintendent position (Padilla, 2003, Garza, 2003 and Rueda, 2002). Given the current need to select superintendents who reflect the current population changes, further inquiry of the personal and professional attributes from a board presidents’ perspective is needed with a specific focus on male Hispanics who have been selected to serve as superintendent. The purpose of the study is to identify attributes (characteristics) that Texas school board presidents believe are important when having selected a Hispanic male superintendent. The study investigated four research questions: (a) the perceptions of Texas public school board presidents regarding the most important personal attributes when having selected a Hispanic male superintendent; (b) the perceptions of Texas public school board presidents regarding the most important professional attributes when having selected a Hispanic male superintendent; (c) the size (student enrollment) of a school district affect the perception of school board presidents regarding the important attributes; and (d) geographic location affect the perception of school board presidents regarding the important attributes? The study followed a quantitative research paradigm. A descriptive research design approach was used. Thus, a survey was used as instrumentation to collect data (Schleuning, 2003). Texas public school board presidents’ who were serving, and who selected and hired Hispanic male superintendents for 2008-2009 school year were surveyed. Data was analyzed: using descriptive statistics including means and standard deviations, one-way analyses and analyses of variance. Findings revealed that Texas public school board presidents regarding the most important personal attributes when having selected a Hispanic male superintendent are; level of education, previous experience in school administration, and years of experience in education. The most important professional attributes are; honest/fair standards, personal integrity, and visionary leadership. Findings also suggest that enrollment size and geographic location does not affect the perception of school board presidents when selecting a Hispanic male superintendent. / text

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University, May 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 110-112).

Local school boards and their presidents provide Americans with the grass roots leadership for public education. Both have been ignored by policy makers and authors. The purpose of the study was to solicit school board members', school board presidents', and past presidents' perceptions of the role as well as the real and ideal leadership attributes of their school board presidents. A survey method was utilized to address the questions inherent in the purpose. The population for this study included the members of local public boards of education in the U.S. The sampling frame consisted of local school board members holding membership in the National School Boards Association. A random stratified sample was selected. Descriptive procedures were used to summarize the data. Additionally, the relationships between school board presidents', past presidents', and board members perceptions and selected demographic variables (i.e. geographic region, gender, community type, school system enrollment, age, number of terms served, education attainment, race, method president is chosen) was explored using cross-tabulation procedures. The response rate was about 27%. School board members perceive their school board presidents to be most active in the board room. Ideally, school board members perceive an expanded role for their president that includes services to board members and superintendent relations. School board presidents perceive a greater role for the school board presidents than do school board members that includes the highly visible board room roles as well as board member services and superintendent relations activities. Past school board presidents' views differ widely from those of school board presidents and slightly from board members, and in most cases tend to give a lower rating of the board president. School board members, school board presidents, and past presidents perceive their school board presidents as displaying few of the leadership attributes of traditional leaders. They agree that ideally these leadership attributes are critical or important. Differences concerning the board president's real and ideal role and real and ideal leadership attributes were found among board presidents by gender and school system enrollment; among past presidents by school system enrollment, and method president is chosen; and among school board members by geographic region, gender, age, school system enrollment, and education attainment. Results should assist school superintendents and professional educators, school board presidents, school board members, and the general citizenry as they work to clarify their respective roles. / Ed. D.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1980. / Title from title page screen, viewed Mar. 1, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Ned Lovell (chair), John McCarthy, Charles Sherman, David Eaton, Ben Hubbard. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-92) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1995. / Title from title page screen, viewed April 19, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Sally B. Pancrazio (chair), Dianne Ashby, Douglas Blair, Larry McNeal, Walter Warfield. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-74) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2001. / Title from title page screen, viewed April 20, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Richard Wiggall (chair), Darryl Pifer, Albert Azinger, Robert Hall. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 169-180) and abstract. Also available in print.

The purposes of this study were to determine whether school board presidents' perceptions regarding competency-based testing in Texas were related to the (1) size of the school district represented by those surveyed, and (2) length of service of the board presidents. The dissertation includes an introductory chapter, a review of related literature, the procedures for collection and treatment of data, the presentation of data, and the summary, conclusions, and recommendations.

The purpose of this study was threefold: (a) to identify the priorities that Texas school board presidents perceive to be most important in their role as a school board member; (b) to describe the specific activities, behaviors, and actions that Texas school board presidents say they take to support the priorities they identify; and (c) to compare with and contrast board members' reported priorities, activities, behaviors, and actions with the eight characteristics of effective school board practices. A mixed-methods research design was used to explore school board presidents' perceptions of their role and its relationship to effective board practices. Quantitative data were gathered using an online survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were obtained from one-on-one semi-structured interviews which were manually coded using a three-step, hybrid-coding process, as well as from an observation protocol. Evidence from this study identified four top priorities: accountability driven actions, a untied team with the superintendent, aligned and sustained resources, and a vision of high expectations. Eleven subthemes emerged that describe the activities, behaviors, and beliefs that support these priorities including: clear goals, community partnerships, data-driven informed, governance, human capital, policy adoption, professional development, strong communication, student outcomes, training, and trust.

The purpose of the study was to determine the perceptions of Indiana school board presidents and superintendents on recommendations for board governance. A second purpose was to determine the current usage of these recommendations for board governance among Indiana school boards.A questionnaire consisting of 42 Likert-response items was mailed to the superintendent and board president of the 294 public school districts in Indiana. The return rate was 63 percent for board presidents and 82 percent for superintendents.The following conclusions were formulated: (a.) board presidents appear most likely to support recommended changes in school board governance in areas of Planning, Board Development, Collective Bargaining, and Curriculum/Staff Development; (b.) superintendents appear most likely to support recommended changes in school board governance in the areas of Board Development, Collective Bargaining, and Curriculum/Staff Development; (c.) board presidents and superintendents appear most likely to differ in their responses to recommendations for changes in school board governance in the areas of Planning, Personnel, Managing Schools and Budget; (d.) board presidents and superintendents from the same school districts are not likely to differ significantly in their opinions about whether or not their board is currently practicing recommended changes in school board governance.Indiana board presidents nor superintendents agreed with authorizing charter schools, hiring administrative law judges or other qualified third parties to hear appeals on students and staff members' due process rights, or establishing a procedure outside of the school board for hearing and deciding constituent complaints. Nor did they agree the board should grant full authority to the administration to approve individual claims or approve change orders on construction projects less than $1,000,000. / Department of Educational Leadership