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The Political Ecology of a School Board Decision to Hire a Nontraditional Superintendent

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The Political Ecology of a School Board Decision to Hire a Nontraditional Superintendent UNF Digital Commons UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations Student Scholarship 2005 The olitP ical Ecology of a School Board Decision to Hire a Nontraditional Superintendent Linda S. Sparks University of North Florida Suggested Citation Sparks, Linda S., "The oP litical Ecology of a School Board Decision to Hire a Nontraditional Superintendent" (2005). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 221. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/221 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects. © 2005 All Rights Reserved The Political Ecology of a School Board Decision to Hire a Nontraditional Superintendent by Linda S. Sparks A dissertation submitted to the Doctoral Studies Faculty in Educational Leadership in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor ofEducation in Educational Leadership University of North Florida Spring, 2005 Unpublished work© Linda S. Sparks The dissertation of Linda S. Sparks is approved: Signature Deleted Joyce T . .Iones. EJ.D., Chair Signature Deleted u DaviJ 1::.\V. Fenner, Ph.D. Signature Deleted Signature Deleted Elinor A. Scheirer, Ph. D. Accepting for the Department: Signature Deleted Kc Dcpa11mcnt of Counseling anJ Educational Leadership Accepting for the College: Signature Deleted Larry C1. .D .. Dean College of Education & Humun Services Accepting for the University: Signature Deleted DDean of Graduate Studies ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This odyssey was long, sometimes lonely, and plagued with interruptions and disappointments. Along the road, there were those who yielded guidance, illumination, and encouragement as I persevered to the finish line. These special people are counted among my dissertation committee, my school board colleagues, my family, and my special community friends. To each of them, I am deeply grateful. Without the exhaustive time devoted to the scholarly critique of numerous drafts by my chairperson, Dr. Joyce T. Jones, this research would not exist. Her capable, available and continuous help will never be forgotten. Appreciation also goes out to other members of my committee who each played a special role in the design and composition of this study. Dr. Elinor Scheirer helped to craft my interview questions and preserve the purely qualitative nature of this study. Dr. David Fenner added the logic of concreteness to the descriptive outcome. Dr. Katherine Kasten helped to shape the entire direction of the study and added that special suggestion to gain understanding of how participants view the decision to hire a nontraditional superintendent, six years later. The participants of this study provided the meaningful content as they generously contributed their time and sincerity for interviews. I can only hope that the manner in which I ultimately framed their collective retrospections, along with my own, is worthy of their enduring roles played in Duval County's 1998 superintendent selection drama. I extend special gratitude to Mayor John Delaney, now President of the University of North Florida, for allowing me to use his real name in this final product and for his notable concern for the education of our children. To General John C. Fryer, Jr., who transferred from one warzone to another, thank you for being the nucleus around which the study revolved. John, this study did not seek to study you; but as a by-product, we learned what people think of your distinctive passion, energy, and ability to formulate a plan for educational success. Thank you for offering yourself to the Duval County Public Schools. I must also acknowledge my family who believed in me as I endeavored to complete this project. I could never ask for a more supportive husband. David, your love and support made this so much easier. My sons, Jeremy and Bobby, thank you for your faith that your mother can justifiably strive for continuous education. Your own intellectual pursuits have been an inspiration to me. To future Duval County School Boards, best wishes as you carry the torch in the race where there is no finish line: excellence in public education. Linda S. Sparks April, 2005 111 Abstract This retrospective study used the language of political ecology to describe the dynamics of a school board decision to hire a nontraditional superintendent. Those dynamics were described as contextual variables that existed within the community as well as mediating variables that were negotiated among the key players who were part of the selection process. This study confirmed that the school board did not make the decision in isolation from the community power structure. The methodology of this descriptive case study was qualitative, using a basic interpretive design informed by symbolic interactionism. Data were collected primarily through interviews with key players of the superintendent selection event, as well as from local news articles and artifacts. This research identified variables that were part and parcel of the superintendent selection process. It also helped to explain why most of Jacksonville, Florida, favored a candidate with a military background over three other candidates who had served as superintendents of other large, urban school districts. The environmental and mediating variables were presented as key constructs that affected the superintendent selection process and influenced the final decision to hire a nontraditional superintendent. lV Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables ................................................................................ ix Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................... 1 Statement of Purpose .............................................................................. 3 Research Questions ................................................................................ 4 Assumptions .......................................................................................... 4 Background ............................................................................................ 5 Significance of the Research .................................................................. 9 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................ 13 Definition ofTerms .............................................................................. 14 Conclusion ........................................................................................... 15 Chapter 2: Literature Review .......................................................................... 16 Introduction .......................................................................................... 16 Political Ecology ................................................................................... 18 Systems Theory .................................................................................... 23 Leadership in Open Systems ...................................................... 25 Community Power Structures ................................................................ 28 The Superintendency ............................................................................. 3 5 Evolving Role ............................................................................ 35 Preparation for the Superintendency ................................. 39 Confidence Crisis ...................................................................... 41 The Advent ofNontraditional Superintendents .......................... 45 Florida's Legal Framework for School District Administration. ........ 51 v Summary ............................................................................... .......... 54 Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................. 57 Introduction ......................................................................................... 57 Rationale for Qualitative Design .......................................................... 57 Procedures and Methods ...................................................................... 62 Site and Social Network Selection ................................................. 62 Data Collection Strategies ............................................................. 63 Confidentiality .............................................................................. 67 Validity ......................................................................................... 68 Researcher Role ............................................................................ 68 Researcher Background and Point of View .................................... 70 Inductive Data Analysis ................................................................. 71 Limitations .................................................................................... 73 Research Questions ....................................................................... 7 4 Interview Questions ....................................................................... 74 Summary ............................................................................................. 74 Chapter 4: Results and Findings ................................................................... 76 Introduction ........................................................................................ 76 Community Power Structure Involvement
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