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CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF SUPERINTENDENTS FOR CLASS III SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NEBRASKA

DAVID L CURRY, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose in the study was threefold: (1) to determine the actual criteria and procedures utilized in the recruitment and selection of superintendents in Class III school districts in Nebraska as reported by board members; (2) to determine the perceptions of ideal criteria and procedures as perceived by board members and superintendents; and (3) to recommend, on the basis of actual practice and perceptions of the ideal, a set of resource criteria and procedures for use in the recruitment and selection of superintendents for Class III school districts in Nebraska. The review of literature indicated that there was little agreement as to criteria and procedures which should be used in the recruitment and selection of superintendents for rural school districts. Considering the importance of the superintendency to education, this study was conducted to develop specific criteria and procedures which would be available as a resource to boards of education seeking superintendents and to persons seeking the position. Procedure. The study was limited to Class III school districts in Nebraska which had hired a new superintendent during the period from July 1, 1975 to June 30, 1978. The total population consisted of superintendents and board members from seventy-three school districts. The superintendents from each district along with the board members who had been on the board when the superintendent was hired were asked to complete questionnaires which related to criteria and procedures commonly used in the recruitment and selection of superintendents. The questionnaires were developed on the basis of a review of literature related to what authorities in the field of school administration considered to be the criteria and procedures which should be used in the recruitment and selection of superintendents. The superintendents and one-half of the board members were asked to rate the importance of ideal criteria and procedures. The other one-half of the board members were asked to report whether each criterion or procedure had actually been used in the recruitment and selection of their superintendent. The data were presented in tabular form with the number of responses and the percentage of response indicated for the group surveyed regarding actual practice. Means were calculated for the groups surveyed regarding the ideal. The responses were then ranked according to percentage of response and by the means. Spearman's coefficient of rank correlation was used to measure the association between the rankings. Major Findings. The statistical analysis of the data resulted in the following findings: (1) A statistically significant correlation was found between actual practice and the ideal as perceived by board members in eleven of fifteen categories of criteria and procedures used in the recruitment and selection of superintendents. (2) A statistically significant correlation was found between actual practice and the ideal as perceived by superintendents in eleven of fifteen categories of criteria and procedures used in the recruitment and selection of superintendents. (3) A statistically significant correlation was found between the ideal as perceived by board members and the ideal as perceived by superintendents in twelve of fifteen categories of criteria and procedures used in the recruitment and selection of superintendents. Based on the findings a list of criteria and procedures are recommended for use in the recruitment and selection of superintendents for Class III school districts in Nebraska. These are intended to serve as a resource to boards of education seeking superintendents as well as to persons seeking superintendent positions.

Subject Area

School administration

Recommended Citation

CURRY, DAVID L, "CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF SUPERINTENDENTS FOR CLASS III SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NEBRASKA" (1980). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8021340.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8021340

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