Are women prepared to be school superintendents? An Essay on the Myths and Misunderstandings

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to examine and respond to Tom Glass's (2000) assertions about the dearth of women in the superintendency using the lenses of new data (from two large national studies) and analysis — an analysis that primarily focuses on women superintendents’ and central office administrators’ formal, experiential, and personal preparedness. The essay concludes that women who aspire to and who are seated in the superintendency meet and even exceed preparation requirements and expectations. Further, while experiential preparedness for women may look different from that gained by men, the variation and concentration on curriculum and instruction during career path development may render women better prepared than men.