Leadership characteristics, factors and tools that support superintendent longevity in suburban school districts: a case study

2016-01-19The purpose of this study was to identify leadership characteristics, factors and evaluation tools that support superintendent longevity in suburban school districts. Five superintendents that have been in their positions for a minimum of three years were surveyed and interviewed to obtain an understanding of the characteristics, the leadership factors, and the evaluation tools that they have utilized throughout their careers to promote longevity in their positions. In addition, 30 suburban superintendents, who have been superintendents for at least 3 years, were surveyed to identify their understanding of superintendent characteristics, factors and evaluation tools that support longevity. The design that utilized for this study was both qualitative and quantitative. The conceptual framework utilized for this study was based on Creswell’s six steps of the research process. These six steps are: (1) identification of the research problem (2) review of the literature (3) specification of the purpose for the research (4) data collection (5) analyzing and interpreting the data (6) reporting and evaluating the research. This conceptual framework is designed to be a mixed-method research study and will be conducted using both the use of interviews and surveys. The information from this research study will provide insight about suburban superintendent leadership characteristics, factors and evaluation tools that can directly impact and influence individuals who are interested in becoming a superintendent in suburban school districts