Slow path to the superintendency: Women’s social networks and negotiation skills

Women superintendents in one Midwestern state participated in this study of their personal demographics, professional qualifications and career paths, and demographics of districts and boards of education that hired them. Par-ticipants identified characteristics, skills, and barriers to women seeking superintendencies. Thirty-one of 36 women superintendents completed a sur-vey, with six participating in follow-up interviews. Initial analysis supports ex-isting research on women superintendents. A second analysis of interview data using Babcock and Laschever's (2003) research on women's negotiation skills and social networks as a theoretical framework suggests implications to train and support women aspiring to the superintendency. Historically underrepresented in school leadership, women have struggled to gain access to top administrative positions dominated by white male