The job of the K12 school district superintendency is mired in political, logistical and administrative challenges that can often strain and overwhelm. Just ask the state of Maryland: About a third of all superintendent positions were up for grabs in 2022.
Thanks to the University of Maryland’s partnership with state school districts, the Education in School System Leadership, Ed.D. challenges the next wave of superintendents to take on a district’s real-time wicked problem that they’ve identified, diagnose its root causes and alleviate it under the guidance of the program.
“We are heightening their awareness of all the K12 systems and how they interact with the whole ecosystem,” says Pamela Shetley, the program’s associate director.
The program brings together leaders across the state—including principals, assistant principals and central office leaders—who are striving to earn superintendent licensure and arranges them into cohorts to learn and collaborate.
“We’re in a position where leaders see themselves as partners who provide guidance through coaching and modeling rather than a very top-down approach,” Shetley says.
One of the top challenges is preparing superintendent hopefuls for the state’s changing student demographics. “In some places in Maryland, you can say ‘equity’ and it’s no big deal. In other places, it’s a little more difficult to even say the word,” says Douglas Anthony, the program’s director. “The disposition a leader has to come in with, particularly now, is this understanding of who they are as a person and a leader. They must be able to reconcile when their belief system opposes what needs to happen for students in public education today.”
On this District Administration “Talking Out of School” podcast, Shetley and Anthony also tackle leadership mental health and certain X-factors that just can’t be taught.
Listen to the podcast below, or on Apple, Podbean or Spotify.
