Table 1

Geographical Regions of Hispanic Female Superintendent Respondents

Region

Frequency

Percentage

     

New England

2

8.7

     

Rocky Mountain

1

4.3

     

Southeast

2

8.7

     

Great Lakes

2

8.7

     

Mideast

1

4.3

     

Southwest

7

30.4

     

Plains

4

17.4

     

Far West

4

17.4

     

 

Table 2

Distribution of Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents by School District Size

Student Enrollment

Frequency

Percent

Less than 300

5

21.7

300 - 999

3

13.0

     

1,000 - 2,999

4

17.4

     

3,000 - 4,999

4

17.4

     

5,000 - 9,999

1

4.3

     

10,000 - 24,999

2

8.7

     

25,000 - 49,999

3

13.0

     

50,000 - 99,999

1

4.3

     

Over 99,999

0

0.0

 

 

 

Table 3

Distribution of Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents by Percentage of Students on Free Lunch in Their School Districts

% of Students on Free Lunch

Frequency

Percent

0

0

0.0

1 — 10

0

0.0

11 - 20

0

0.0

21 — 30

1

5.0

31 — 40

2

10.0

41 — 50

2

10.0

51 — 60

1

5.0

61 — 70

4

20.0

71 — 80

3

15.0

81 — 90

4

20.0

91 — 100

3

15.0

 

 

 

 

Table 4

Distribution of Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents by Undergraduate Major

Bachelor’s Degree Major

Frequency

Percent

Agriculture

0

0.0

Business

0

0.0

     

Education (other than Physical Education)

6

35.3

   

Fine Arts

0

0.0

     

Humanities

1

5.9

     

Math

1

5.9

     

Physical Education

0

0.0

     

Physical or Biological Sciences

1

5.9

     

Social Sciences

3

17.6

Other

5

29.4

 

 

 

 

Table 5

Distribution of Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents by Master’s Degree Major

Master’s Major

Frequency

Percent

Education - general

4

19.0

Education - elementary

1

4.8

   

Education - secondary

0

0.0

     

Education — special

1

4.8

     

Education - curriculum and instruction

2

9.5

     

Education — bilingual

2

9.5

     

Education - psychology

0

0.0

     

Education - leadership /administration

5

23.8

     

Education — reading

0

0.0

     

Social Science

0

0.0

     

Humanities

0

0.0

     

Physical or Biological Sciences

0

0.0

Public Administration

0

0.0

     

Education - counseling

1

4.8

     

Foreign Language

0

0.0

     

Fine Arts

0

0.0

Education - physical

0

0.0

     

Other

5

23.8

Table 6

Distribution of Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents by Highest Level of Education

Doctoral Degree

Frequency

Percent

Yes

14

63.6

No

8

36.4

     

Doctoral Major

   

Curriculum and Instruction

0

0.0

Educational leadership/administration/policy

9

64.3

     

Special Education

0

0.0

     

Business

0

0.0

     

Education research

0

0.0

     

Education psychology/counseling

1

4.3

     

Other

4

28.6

 

 

 

 

 

Table 7

Means and Standard Deviations for Hispanic Women’s Years of Experience in Various Positions

Position

M

SD

Teacher

10.95

5.90

     

Administrator

11.13

7.05

     

Central Office

6.72

6.31

Superintendency

4.30

3.37

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 8

Career Pathways of Hispanic Women Superintendents

Career Pathway

Frequency

Percent

Teacher, High School Principal, Central Office

3

13.0

     

Teacher, Elementary Principal, Central Office

8

34.8

     

Teacher, Middle School Principal, Central Office

2

8.7

     

Teacher, Elementary Principal

0

0.0

     

Teacher, Secondary Principal

1

4.3

     

Teacher, Middle School Principal

0

0.0

     

Teacher, Central Office

3

13.0

     

Central Office Only

0

0.0

     

Principal Only

0

0.0

     

Teacher Only

2

8.7

     

Other

4

17.4

 

 

 

 

Table 9

Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents on Their Career Pathway in Relation to Family

Career Pathway in Relation to Family

Frequency

Percent

Double Track - some time off with children

4

17.4

     

Interrupted — five or more years off with children

1

4.3

     

Stable - never took time off

13

56.5

     

Interrupted - five or more years off for reasons other than

Family

1

4.3

     

Other

4

17.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 10

Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents Who Reported a Mentor and

Gender of the Mentor

Mentor

Frequency

Percent

Yes

18

78.3

     

No

5

21.7

Gender of Mentor

   

Male

15

65.2

     

Female

3

13.0

     

Not applicable

5

21.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 11

Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents Who Reported a Role Model and Gender of the Role Model

Role Model

Frequency

Percent

Yes

19

82.6

     

No

4

17.4

     

Gender of Role Model

   

Male

9

42.9

     

Female

8

38.1

     

Not applicable

6

19.0

     

 

 

 

 

 

Table 12

Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents by Primary Source of Encouragement

Primary Source of Encouragement

Frequency

Percent

Spouse

5

21.7

     

Sibling(s)

0

0.0

     

Parents

0

0.0

     

Colleague(s)

7

30.4

     

Professor(s)

1

4.3

     

Yourself

8

34.8

     

Other

2

8.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 13

Hispanic Women Superintendents’ Perceptions of Barriers for Women in General

Degree

Important

Somewhat Important

Not Important

Don’t Know

Barrier

       
         

School boards do not actively recruit women

47.8

30.4

13.0

8.7

         

Lack of mobility of family members

65.2

21.7

8.7

4.3

         

Lack of opportunity to gain key experiences

prior to seeking the superintendency

43.5

39.1

17.4

0.0

         

Lack of professional networks

47.8

34.8

17.4

0.0

         

Perception of school board members that women are unqualified to handle finances

17.4

65.2

8.7

8.7

         

Perception that women will allow their emotions to influence administrative decisions

21.7

60.9

17.4

0.0

         

The nature of a superintendent’s work makes it an unattractive career choice

30.4

39.1

26.1

4.3

         

The nature of a superintendent’s work makes it an undesirable personal choice

21.7

39.1

30.4

8.7

         

Perception that women are not strong leaders

21.7

56.5

17.4

4.3

         

Lack of mentor/mentoring in school districts

39.1

43.5

13.0

4.3

         

Perception that women have difficulty working with others

17.4

21.7

56.5

4.3

         

Mid-management career "Glass Ceiling"

34.8

34.8

26.1

4.3

 

Table 14

Hispanic Women Superintendent Respondents on Perceptions of Barriers They Experienced

Degree

Important

Somewhat Important

Not Important

Don’t Know

Barrier

       
         

School boards do not actively recruit women

40.9

18.2

40.9

0.0

         

Lack of mobility of family members

22.7

13.6

59.1

4.5

         

Lack of opportunity to gain key experiences

prior to seeking the superintendency

27.3

18.2

54.5

0.0

         

Lack of professional networks

27.3

36.4

36.4

0.0

         

Perception of school board members that women are unqualified to handle finances

18.2

40.9

40.9

0.0

         

Perception that women will allow their emotions to influence administrative decisions

13.6

36.4

50.0

0.0

         

The nature of a superintendent’s work makes it an unattractive career choice

9.1

18.2

72.7

0.0

         

The nature of a superintendent’s work makes it an undesirable personal choice

4.5

18.2

77.3

0.0

         

Perception that women are not strong leaders

18.2

31.8

50.0

0.0

         

Lack of mentor/mentoring in school districts

22.7

36.4

36.4

4.5

         

Perception that women have difficulty working with others

9.1

18.2

68.2

4.5

         

Mid-management career "Glass Ceiling"

22.7

22.7

54.5

0.0