Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Division of Education and Counseling

First Advisor

Ramona Jean-Perkins Ph.D., Chair

Second Advisor

Renee Akbar, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Timothy J. Glaude, Ph. D.

Keywords

Intersectionality, Women of Color, Transformational Leadership, Crisis Leadership, Educational Equity, Superintendent Turnover, K-12 Administration, COVID-19 Pandemic, Racial Equity, Gender Equity, Leadership Pipelines, Oppressive Structures

Abstract

Chaos at the Crossroads: Female School System Superintendents of Color Leading Through Crisis, A Phenomenological Study explores the lived experience of five female superintendents of color who navigated school system leadership during unprecedented times of crisis. Using a phenomenological methodology, this study illuminates how race, gender, and systemic inequities intersect with Transformational Leadership under duress – most notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers critical insight into how these leaders sustained their districts, challenged oppressive structures, and reimagined educational equity while facing disproportionate scrutiny and turnover. This research addresses a critical gap in the literature: the absence of empirical studies that center the crisis leadership experiences of women of color superintendents, whose perspectives remain largely underrepresented in both educational leadership scholarship and policy discourse. By capturing the lived experiences of five women of color superintendents, the study also reframes crisis leadership through the lens of those most often silenced, women of color at the helm of public education. The study provides practical implications for policy, leadership preparation programs, school system onboarding, and initiatives aimed at advancing racial and gender equity in education leadership pipelines.

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Available for download on Monday, May 14, 2029

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