Chapter 6: When Generals (Or Colonels) Become Superintendents: Conflict, Chaos, and Community

Within the last decade, in an attempt to improve often dismal school system performance, several states passed laws changing certification requirements for superintendents, effectively permitting anyone, however trained, to become superintendent of a school system (Fusarelli & Petersen, 2002). Influenced by neo-conservative attacks questioning the efficacy of university-based preparation programs (Hess, 2003; 2004), state policymakers are revising licensing criteria and administrator certification requirements, shifting from input models (e.g., academic credits and certification) to output-driven models (e.g., competencies and performance). Several states, including Michigan, Tennessee, and Illinois, have either partially or totally eliminated requirements for superintendent preparation and several others, including Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, and Washington, have lowered the barriers for entry of noneducators into the superintendency. For example, in Tennessee, superintendents need only citizenship and a college degree (in any field of study) (Kowalski & Glass, 2002). Further, emergency certification for persons from non-traditional backgrounds in the form of waivers is permissible in almost every state.