| This mixed methods study uses observations, survey, and interviews to examine the factors and sources of information school boards consider when they evaluate a superintendent. Exploring these elements provided an opportunity to identify what is most important to board members when considering a superintendent's performance. It also provided insight into board members' conception of their role, responsibility, and relationship with a superintendent.;Findings suggest that there is a relationship between a board members' length of service and the likelihood that they hold a trustee conception of their role. This conception relates to a likelihood that a board member supports recommendations from the superintendent, considers himself/herself responsible to the superintendent, and considers the superintendent extremely or very important as a source of information when evaluating the superintendent. Board members with more tenure also seem more likely to consider student achievement data as a source of information when evaluating a superintendent.;The most important source of information board members consider when evaluating a superintendent may be personal observation of the superintendent and his or her interactions with others. Similarly, the factor of performance board members most frequently emphasize when evaluating a superintendent is the superintendent's communication with them, the whole board, staff, and the community. Board members are constantly observing and evaluating a superintendent's performance, particularly throughout school board meetings. |
