THE PERSONAL PROFILES, CAREER PATTERNS, AND LEADERSHIP PRACTICES OF WOMEN SUPERINTENDENTS IN KANSAS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the personal proflies, career patterns, and leadership practices of women superintendents in Kansas. Three research questions guided the study: (1) To what extent are there similarities in the personal profiles of women who have attained the role of school superintendent in Kansas? (2) To what extent are there similarities in the career pattersns of women who have attained the role of school superintendent in Kansas? (3) To what extent are there similarities in the leadership practices of women superintendents in different sized Kansas school districts? To answer the research questions a quantitative research method was used. the 37 women superintendents in the state of Kansas during the 2009-2010 school year were the population of interest. The sample for the study was the 21 Kansas women superintendents who responded to both of the survey instruments. One instrument was a demographic survey, which consisted of 45 items with four sections: (a) personal demographic information, (b) educational demographic information, (c) career patterns: career paths, and (d) career patterns: other components. The second instrument used in the study was the Leadership Practices Inventory-Self (LPI-Self). The LPI-Self is a self-assessment tool, which identifies the frequency of engagement in behaviors aligned with Kouzes and Posner's five practices of exemplary leadership. Data collected from the two survey instruments were compiled and examined to determine if similarities existed within three categories: Personal Profiles, Career Patterns, and Leadershop Practices. The results of the LPI-Self subscale scores for the five exemplary practices were compared across school district size, to determine if leadership practices are affected by district size. Based on the results of this study, there are similarities in the personal profiles and career patterns. Results indicate women superintendents in Kansas serve in rural districts, are 51 years or older, fall in the middle of their family's birth order, and followed the a career path to the superintendency including the roles of elementary teaching, elementary principal, and secondary principal. District size was not found to be significant in its effect on leadership practices. The results of the study of women superintendents in Kansas during the 2009-2010 school year align with many of the findings of studies in other states and nationwide.