Mentee Perceptions of Public School Superintendent Mentorship in a Rural, Midwest State

Erin Lehmann,Kristine Reed,David De Jong,Dave Olson,Dan Leikvold

doi:10.4148/1936-0487.1108

Abstract

Superintendent formal mentorship programs have traditionally relied on geographic proximity and mentor availability to pair new superintendents with mentors. This study examines which mentor characteristics contribute to mentee satisfaction with the formal mentorship program. This study used a quantitative research design in which participants completed a survey used to compare mentor characteristics to mentee satisfaction with the program. 73 (49.6%) superintendents participated in the study, of which 19 had participated in a formal mentorship program. The overall research results suggest that two mentor characteristics, Leadership/Disposition Qualities and Mentor Availability had a significant positive relationship to mentee satisfaction with the formal mentorship program. This study suggests modern technology may be utilized in order to facilitate mentorship pairing based on valued characteristics rather than the traditional criteria of geographic proximity and mentor availability.

Highlights

Current mentorship opportunities for rural superintendents are designed to provide for face-to-face interactions and mentor pairings based on geographic location (Augustine-Shaw, 2015; Beem, 2007; Monson, 2019, personal communication, May 13, 2019)
This method limits the availability of mentors that will be good matches for mentees based on geographic proximity which is why we examined the effectiveness of superintendent mentorship participation, in a rural state in the Midwest
By focusing on characteristics that lead to positive mentorship relationships and facilitating better mentorship pairings through utilizing contemporary technologies, rural school districts have an opportunity to provide new superintendents with the best chances for success, and possibly experience a lower rate of superintendent turnover

Summary

Introduction

Current mentorship opportunities for rural superintendents are designed to provide for face-to-face interactions and mentor pairings based on geographic location (Augustine-Shaw, 2015; Beem, 2007; Monson, 2019, personal communication, May 13, 2019). This method limits the availability of mentors that will be good matches for mentees based on geographic proximity which is why we examined the effectiveness of superintendent mentorship participation, in a rural state in the Midwest. By focusing on characteristics that lead to positive mentorship relationships and facilitating better mentorship pairings through utilizing contemporary technologies, rural school districts have an opportunity to provide new superintendents with the best chances for success, and possibly experience a lower rate of superintendent turnover. The United States Census has determined that in 2010, 80.7% of the population lived in urban clusters or urban areas but occupied only 3% of the land area (Ratcliffe et al, 2016)

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