Supporting School System Leaders: The State of Executive Training Programs for School Superintendents

Abstract

The leadership challenges faced by school superintendents are well documented, along with the critical nature of their leadership to sustaining school and school district improvement. (McCabe-Cabron, et al., 2005; Williams, 2004; Thomas, 2001; Goodman & Zimmerman, 2000; Peterson, 1999). Also documented are the university-based programs that prepare individuals to be school superintendents (Levine, 2005; McCarthy 1999; National Commission on Excellence in Educational Administration, 1988). The current working paper explores what is available to superintendents after they assume their positions: what the landscape of sustained executive training and support options available for sitting school system leaders looks like. It describes about two dozen programs offered around the country–who offers them, how they are organized and funded, what (if any) theoretical approaches undergird them, and what (if any) evaluations are done on their impacts. The report describes programs offered by superintendent membership organizations, other (non-superintendent) non-profits, universities, foundations and for-profit companies.