Leading into the Future - Perceptions of School Board Presidents on the Essential Knowledge and Skills for Superintendent Preparation Programs

Q: What problem does the study address about American public schools?

The study addresses the dismal media perception of American public schools and the added scrutiny created by accountability measures, including the No Child Left Behind Law of 2002.

Q: Which standards do the school board presidents support for superintendent preparation?

The findings indicate these presidents fully support ISLLC and ELCC standards as the foundation for superintendent preparation programs.

Q: How do female and male school board presidents differ in their perceptions?

Female board presidents report stronger perceptions than their male counterparts regarding the importance of several factors related to superintendent preparation expectations.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag

Leading into the Future examines how sitting school board presidents understand the expectations they hold for superintendent preparation programs. The study responds to negative media portrayals of American public schools and the intensified accountability pressures created by the No Child Left Behind Law of 2002. Findings show broad support for ISLLC and ELCC standards as foundations for preparation, with female presidents reporting stronger perceptions of multiple influencing factors. The paper situates district leadership responsibilities and board alignment as critical to student achievement outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Leadership responsibilities and student achievement

District-level responsibilities linked to achievement

Accountability pressures and board governance

Hiring, monitoring, and performance expectations

Leading into the Future: Perceptions of School Board Presidents on the Essential Knowledge and Skills for Superintendent Preparation Programs This manuscript has been peer-reviewed, accepted, and endorsed by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration as a significant contribution to the scholarship and practice of school administration and K-12 education. Jenny Tripses Bradley University John Hunt Southern Illinois University Edwardsville JoHyun Kim Texas A & M Commerce Sandra Watkins Western Illinois University Reports in the media on American public schools are pretty dismal. Accountability measures enacted with the passing of the No Child Left Behind Law of 2002 include federal and state sanctions for school districts not making adequate yearly progress on state assessments. Typically these results are published locally, which only increases the perception that many American schools are failing to prepare students for the future. Often educators and in particular school leaders are scapegoated in the absence of any other solutions to educate American youth. Marzano and Waters (2009) provide more promising evidence related to American schools. Their meta-analysis, which sought to uncover deeper understandings of the underlying relationships between district leadership and student achievement revealed, “when district leaders are carrying out their leadership responsibilities effectively, student achievement across the district is positively affected”(p. 5). “The accountability movement has put school boards in a new, unfamiliar environment”(Marzano & Waters, 2009, p. 77). Historically, school boards have not focused to any great extent upon student achievement. This study sought the perceptions of sitting school board presidents of expectations for their superintendent. Findings of the study reveal these school board presidents fully support ISLLC and ELCC standards, which provide the foundation for superintendent preparation programs. Female board presidents’perceptions of the importance of several factors were stronger than their male counterparts. NCPEA Education Leadership Review, Vol. 16, No. 2– November, 2015 ISSN: 1532-0723 © 2015 National Council of Professors of Educational Administration Introduction Reports in the media on American public schools are pretty dismal. Accountability measures enacted with the passing of the No Child Left Behind Law of 2002 include federal and state sanctions for school districts not making adequate yearly progress on state assessments. Typically these results are published locally, which only increases the perception that many American schools are failing to prepare students for the future. International comparisons as reported by the Program for International Student Assessments (PISA) from 2012, the most recent reported data, indicate that the United States lags behind other countries, many of which spend far less on educating their student populations. Often educators and in particular school leaders are scapegoated in the absence of any other solutions to educating American youth. Marzano and Waters (2009) provide more promising evidence related to American schools. Their meta-analysis, which sought to uncover deeper understandings of the underlying relationships between district leadership and student achievement revealed, “when district leaders are carrying out their leadership responsibilities effectively, student achievement across the district is positively affected”(p. 5) . Delving deeper into effective leadership, Marzano and Waters identified five district (superintendent) level responsibilities with a statistically (p<.05) correlation with average student academic achievement. The five responsibilities are “(1) ensuring collaborative goal setting, (2) establishing nonnegotiable goals for achievement and instruction, (3) creating board alignment with and support of district goals,(4) monitoring achievement and in

FAQs

What problem does the study address about American public schools?

The study addresses the dismal media perception of American public schools and the added scrutiny created by accountability measures, including the No Child Left Behind Law of 2002.

Which standards do the school board presidents support for superintendent preparation?

The findings indicate these presidents fully support ISLLC and ELCC standards as the foundation for superintendent preparation programs.

How do female and male school board presidents differ in their perceptions?

Female board presidents report stronger perceptions than their male counterparts regarding the importance of several factors related to superintendent preparation expectations.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag