Date of Award
Summer 5-10-2024
Document Type
Dissertation (799 registration)
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
Department
Graduate Studies
Committee Chair
Dr. Ximena Suarez-Sousa
Keywords
superintendent, leadership, mentorship, career, gender, access
Abstract
The superintendent position is the most visible and influential in K-12 Education, responsible for regional, state, and sometimes national educational policy. Despite the majority of teaching positions being held by women, approximately 75% of superintendent positions are held by men (Glass, 2022). In Minnesota, only 22% of women hold superintendent positions (Men=77%) (MASA, 2023). This study examined career pathways and access to mentorship of men and women in Minnesota, analyzed through a theoretical framework of critical feminist theory and a secondary framework of social capital theory. All participants held a current Minnesota Superintendent license, and included current superintendents, retirees, aspiring superintendents, and individuals with no aspiration of becoming a superintendent. A descriptive survey was administered, which consisted of multiple choice, Likert scale questions, numbered sliding scales, choice matrices and open-ended questions. Findings were consistent with the literature that the secondary principalship was the most likely position to lead to a superintendent position, and more men than women reported having held the position. Men and women both reported experiences with informal and formal mentorship, with formal mentorship reported as more prevalent. Men and women reported barriers ensuing from familial responsibilities and the competencies needed to be successful in the position. However, women reported barriers specific to gender, lack of access to mentorship, and biased hiring practices more frequently. Implications for change include changing existing mentorship experiences and hiring practices to control for biases and efficacy through examination of the programs and organizations that support school boards and district administration.
Recommended Citation
Dehmer, Kristin, "THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTORSHIP, CAREER PATHWAYS, AND SUCCESS IN THE SUPERINTENDENCY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MEN AND WOMEN EDUCATIONAL LEADERS IN MINNESOTA" (2024). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 966.
https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/966