Date of Award

6-2023

Degree Type

Education Specialist

Degree Name

Education Specialist

Department

Education, Leadership and Public Service

Program

Administration and Supervision (Ed.S.)

First Advisor/Chairperson

Bethney Bergh, PhD

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze and provide an understanding of how three rural public school superintendents in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan practiced transformational leadership. Transformational leadership includes the elements of idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration (Burns, 1978). Transformational superintendents must lead our schools to provide students with the best educational opportunity. The study focused on the superintendents experiences in deciding to become a superintendent, their beliefs about leadership, and how they approached decisions through a transactional or transformational process. The study also sought to provide insight into the relationship with their school board and how it supports the superintendent in being transformational within their school district. The researcher interviewed three currently practicing superintendents who each had over three years of experience in the same district. The results of this study show that the three superintendents not only practiced Thompson's (2014) transformation style with the elements of developing trust, respect, and interdependence with one another and members of the facility and community, but they met Fullan’s (2002) definition of creating a transformational culture. This includes possessing moral purpose, an understanding of the change process, the ability to improve relationships, knowledge creation and sharing, and coherence making.

Access Type

Open Access

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