Dive Brief:
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A new program of the School Superintendents Association, “More Than a Power Lunch: Building Networks to Support and Advance Women in School Leadership,” is meant to boost the number of female superintendents in U.S. school districts, aiming to break down barriers related to women obtaining leadership roles in K-12 schools.
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“The Study of the American Superintendent: 2015 Mid-Decade Update” found a “modest” increase in the leadership positions held by women since 2006.
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The new two-year program will include the establishment of a group called the AASA National Women’s Leadership Consortium, intensive coaching and mentoring, and a national awareness campaign designed to call attention to the issue.
Dive Insight:
The gender gap in educational leadership isn't only a problem in K-12. This January, the American Council on Education released a report called "Pipelines, Pathways, and Institutional Leadership" that looked at the status of women in higher ed. The study reported the number of female college presidents had slowly but steadily increased between 1986 and 2011, but that by 2011, women still only represented 27% of all presidents. And between 2008 and 2013, the number of female chief academic officers at public, doctorate-granting institutions declined from 40% to 25.3%. Salary disparities also prevail, with male leaders earning approximately 20% more than their female counterparts.
In K-12, schools have reported struggling to hire teachers from populations that are traditionally considered minorities in addition to women. An investigation by the Colorado-based Investigative News Network found the state’s largest school districts, which enroll large numbers of minority students, struggle to hire black and Latino teachers. The Investigative New Network reported that in 2014, black students outnumbered black teachers 51 to 1 in Denver, 97 to 1 in nearby Aurora, and 85 to 1 in suburban Jefferson County.