Flukes, Opportunities, and Planned Interventions: Factors Affecting Women’s Decisions to become School Administrators

Abstract

This article presents the results of an exploratory study of women in educational administration that focused on women’s decisions to enter educational administration. Findings suggest that the career aspirations of women who ultimately enter the field of educational administration are intricately related to their career commitments, positional goals, and leadership orientations. Furthermore, although women who go into administration may have personal characteristics that set them apart from women who do not, it also appears that at least three factors greatly affect women’s entrance into administration: their administrative role models, their exposure to transformative leadership styles, and the endorsements and/or support that they receive.