The focus of this research is in the area of African American male superintendents and their leadership in diverse settings. The research approach adopted in this dissertation used semi-structured interviews with five African American male superintendents that consisted of three main issues: (1) personal; (2) leadership quality/effectiveness and (3) impact on student academic performance. The findings from this research provide evidence that: superintendents believed they gained their focus on education by having strong parental influences; each superintendent believed that their involvement in sports helped them to sharpen their leadership skills at an early age; they believed in having systems in place to monitor and track the performance of their district; being visible in the community has helped to garner support from all stakeholders; and being educated during the civil rights era taught the superintendents a lot about equity issues. The main conclusions drawn from this research were that superintendent efficacy, professional development and a goal toward academic success for all students were the components demonstrated by these district leaders. This research recommends that superintendents have professional development to strengthen strong people skills, create mentorships and shadow-mentoring programs for both African American male superintendent candidates and practicing African American male superintendents new to the job or new to their district, emphasize diversity in leadership, investigate superintendency preparation programs at the university level to address racial issues, and research studies should be more specific on the office of the superintendency.

In education, women administrators are underrepresented in leadership positions, especially as superintendent. The study examined the following: characteristics and experiences of women superintendents to those of women administrators who aspire to be superintendent and to those women who have decided not to pursue the superintendency; the factors influencing women administrators' decisions to pursue or not pursue the position of superintendent; and the impact of identified factors on the decisions made by study participants. This qualitative multiple-subject study with an interview protocol was designed to consider the historical perspective of women in education, characteristics of women administrators, and a feminist poststructuralist framework; it included the identification of internal and external barriers and criteria for enhancing the advancement of women administrators. The study addressed the following research questions: 1. How do the experiences and characteristics of acting women superintendents compare to those of women aspiring to the superintendency and to those of women administrators who choose not to seek the position of superintendent? 2. What factors influence women administrators' decisions to pursue or not pursue the position of superintendent? The seven findings suggested that 1) educational leaders influenced decisions to become administrators; 2) style of leadership, method of conflict resolution, and decision-making practice is collaborative; 3) interpersonal skills, good communication, and approachability are (p.204-205) skills required for the superintendency; 4) the decision to pursue the superintendency is influenced by a number of factors, including role models, mentors, and the intensity of the position; 5) balancing a career with family responsibilities is potential barriers for women seeking the superintendency; 6) negative perceptions of female leaders were potential barriers for women administrators seeking and obtaining the position of superintendent; 7) individual school boards and communities influence how women and men are viewed as leaders and whether or not women superintendents are perceived differently. This study has identified implications for future studies and for advancing the careers of women administrators by eliminating barriers, challenges and negative perceptions regarding their pursuit of the position of superintendent. / EDD