Dr. Michael Sieh

Superintendents should be prepared to follow a research-based model of school improvement, and schools should utilize such a model to enhance educational opportunities for their students. This study was designed to focus on the degree to which Nebraska superintendents were involved in all phases of the Nebraska Model for Continuous Improvement, a school improvement model. A model of school improvement is necessary for continued instructional and/or curricular improvements that yield improved student results. Nebraska superintendents were given an opportunity to characterize their involvement in each phase of the school improvement process by completing a questionnaire with questions related to each phase of school improvement according to the Nebraska Model for Continuous Improvement.

The questionnaire contained additional school improvement informational items that helped the researcher examine superintendent experiences that may have contributed to an increase in the degree of involvement by the superintendent. These items included formal training in school improvement; advanced degree focused on curriculum, assessments, and/or instruction; advanced degree focused on school improvement and/or accountability; external team leader experience; external review team experience; student enrollment at the superintendent’s district; experience in education; and experience as a superintendent. Relationships between these items and the overall rank of superintendent involvement in school improvement were examined.

The results of this study indicate that formal school improvement training, external team experience as a member and/or leader, student enrollment at the superintendent’s district, and experience in education all were related to the superintendent’s perception of his/her involvement in school improvement. The results would also indicate that experience as a superintendent was not related to the superintendent’s perceived involvement.

Based on the results, the researcher recommends that a superintendent should (a) serve on external review teams, (b) complete course work in school improvement as part of his/her preparatory course work, (c) attend annual school improvement training, and (d) become more involved in the development of the school profile.