Date of Award

1-1-1995

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Angela Maynard Sewall.

Abstract

With the expected opportunities for advancement in administration due to the retirement of many current administrators in Arkansas, the study surveyed the perceptions of current secondary administrators and superintendents concerning opportunities or barriers to their advancement in administrative careers. The study also surveyed professional and personal characteristics of the administrators in order to provide a profile of Arkansas secondary administrators and superintendents. The study posed the following questions:

1. Is there a difference between male and female superintendents in their perceptions of opportunities and/or barriers in attaining their first administrative position and their first superintendency? 2. Is there a difference between male and female secondary principals in their perceptions of opportunities and/or barriers in attaining their first administrative position and their first principalship? 3. Is there a difference between male and female secondary assistant principals in their perceptions of opportunities and/or barriers in attaining their first administrative position and their first assistant principalship? 4. Are there differences in personal and professional characteristics of men and women superintendents, secondary principals, and secondary assistant principals? 5. Are there differences in the career development patterns of men and women superintendents, secondary principals, and secondary assistant principals?

Surveys were sent to all women superintendents, secondary principals, and secondary assistant principals in Arkansas. An equal number of randomly selected men administrators from each category were surveyed. Analysis of the data indicates that there were no significant main effect difference by gender. There were statistically significant main effect differences found in relation to the perceptions of opportunities and/or barriers existing between the respondents in the job categories of superintendent, principal, and assistant principal. Analysis of the descriptive personal and professional characteristics of the respondents produced some similarities and some differences by gender. Career paths of the administrators also exhibited both differences and similarities by gender.

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