Program
K-12 Administration Ed.D.
Number of Pages
150
Year Approved
2026
First Advisor
Tracy Reimer
Second Reader
Annette Ziegler
Third Reader
Erica Hering
Abstract
Although women comprise the majority of the K–12 workforce, they remain underrepresented in senior superintendency leadership positions, a disparity attributed to systemic and social factors such as implicit bias, gender stereotypes, limited access to professional networks, and inequitable mentorship and sponsorship structures that restrict advancement opportunities. Mentorship is widely recognized as an important factor in women’s pathways to senior roles; however, women often report less access to advocacy-oriented sponsorship than men, leaving those in building-level leadership (e.g., principals, assistant principals) facing barriers—such as limited access to networks, implicit gender bias, and work–life balance challenges—when seeking senior superintendency positions. This phenomenological, collective case study explores how women in senior superintendency positions in New York State’s public K–12 school districts experience mentorship, including its influence on leadership confidence, professional development, and access to advancement opportunities. Using semi-structured interviews and document analysis, the study examines participants’ lived experiences of formal and informal mentorship, including sponsorship and advocacy, and the meanings they make of these relationships. Through phenomenological analysis of participants’ narratives, the study identifies the structures and themes that characterize women’s mentorship experiences and their implications for equitable leadership progression. Findings aim to inform policy and program design that promote inclusive, advocacy-oriented mentorship in K–12 educational leadership.
Degree Name
Education Doctorate
Document Type
Doctoral dissertation
Recommended Citation
Falasco, T. (2026). The Role of Mentorship in Women’s Pathways to Senior Superintendency Positions in K–12 Public Education [Doctoral dissertation, Bethel University]. Spark Repository. https://spark.bethel.edu/etd/1260
Terms of Use and License Information
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