ORCID

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5508-6206

Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Administrative and Instructional Leadership

First Advisor

Rosalba Corrado Del Vecchio

Second Advisor

Rene Parmar

Third Advisor

Seokhee Cho

Abstract

The purpose of this cross-sectional nonexperimental correlational study was to investigate whether gender, volunteer experiences, and occupational experiences can predict the preparedness of elected New York State school board members in the Key Work of school board governance. In this study, I investigated to what extent, if any, differences emerged in the school, community, and occupational experiences of elected New York State school board members, based on gender. Data accruing on a 33-question multiple choice, short answer, and Likert-type scale electronic survey were analyzed through regression models, independent samples t-tests, and chi-square tests. Gender, volunteer experiences, and occupational experiences were statistically significant predictors of preparedness of school board governance in the areas of vision, accountability, and board/superintendent relationships in this sample. Women reported more types and numbers of school volunteer experiences, including positions of leadership, than their male counterparts. No significant differences emerged in community volunteer and occupational experiences based on gender, though patterns arose in the data confirming and contrasting the perpetuation of stereotypical gender roles. Understanding and acknowledging differences among board members will help researchers study the predictors of school board governance, promote best practices, and improve effectiveness.

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