Dr. Carol Renner

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify factors that motivate and factors that inhibit female administrators from seeking a school superintendency. Key informants nominated twenty-one Nebraska female administrators as outstanding female school leaders with skills to succeed in a superintendency. These females were interviewed regarding public challenges to education, leadership behaviors needed by the superintendent, and motivators and inhibitors for females to pursue a superintendency. The interview material was analyzed for common themes which were elaborated through the native statements of the female administrators. Propositions were generated that suggested female administrators' perceptions about public school needs and effective leadership strategies. Also, reasons for females to pursue or reject the school superintendency were proposed. Public challenges that emerged from the data were: coping with change, accountability, public involvement, and promoting positive school image. Leadership needs were described as: empowerment, collaboration, vision, use of information, political tolerance, and transformational leadership skills. Encouragement emerged as the strongest motivator for females to pursue a superintendency. Other motivators were: the challenge to change education, leadership experience, positive role models, mentoring, career aspiration, networking access, family support, and financial gain. The inhibitors for females to pursue a school superintendency were: public stereotyping of female roles, the nature of the job, undeveloped career plans, family considerations, mobility issues, budgeting inexperience, a lack of female role models, limited jobs, and the instability of the position.