The District Education Administrator (Superintendent) in South Africa, India, Sweden, and the United States: A Collaborative Study

Proposal for a Symposium Presentation

In educational systems around the world, it has become increasingly evident that the quality and nature of leadership matters in relation to realizing national education priorities and to successfully implementing high quality programs that enhance learning and development outcomes for all students in complex educational systems.  Though there are many professionals who exercise leadership within national education systems, the role of the superintendent (district director/system education officer) is a lynchpin connecting the work of policymakers to educational organizations and the professionals who lead and teach in them.  The purpose of this research study is to examine the superintendent’s educational leadership role and its impact on equity, governance and success for all students. This research project links directly to earlier and ongoing studies of superintendents in the United States, Sweden, South Africa and India.  

The panel will first present a description of: (a) educational organization and governance in each country; (b) position of the superintendent within each system; (c) roles and responsibilities of the superintendent in each country; and (d) preparation, recruitment and tenure of superintendents. The second part of the presentation will comprise data on a comparison of superintendents in relation to the following variables: (a) nature of leadership (bureaucratic, distributed, etc); (b) responsibilities for school improvement; (c) accountability for success of all students; (d) impact on eliminating inequalities and (e) their influence on policy changes for educational improvement. The session will conclude with implications for further research, professional development and new insights for improving the governance of schools with a focus on the district educational leadership.