The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant challenges, placing superintendents at the center of time-sensitive decision-making processes. Recent years have also seen public schools in the United States centered in culture war debates. It is important to understand how superintendents have dealt with such challenges. The present study accordingly seeks to understand superintendents’ experiences with professional networks in politically contentious times. It also seeks to identify what other forms of support they relied on, and to what effects.
The present study, part of a larger, mixed methods research project, builds upon initial findings from a national superintendent survey (N = 872) and relies upon the analysis of qualitative semi-structured interview data from 39 strategically sampled superintendent participants.
Participants described heavily participating in professional learning networks. Superintendents’ motivations to participate were interrelated and multifaceted, and they derived multiple benefits. Network composition varied, and superintendents routinely reported being involved in multiple networks. Participants also reported drawing on several additional forms/sources of support, such as their families and their faiths.
This study provides an empirical understanding of how superintendents drew upon professional networks and other forms of support during a challenging time period. Study findings also provide some insights regarding how to enhance superintendents’ network participation moving forward.
