Oregon Women in Educational Administration: Profiles and an Analysis of Upward Career Mobility Factors

• Main Author: Chapman, Leland D.
• Format: Others
• Published: PDXScholar 1989
• Subjects: Women school administrators > Oregon; Sexual division of labor > Oregon; Professional education of women; Educational Administration and Supervision; Women's Studies
• Online Access: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1174; https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2173&context=open_access_etds

The first purpose of this study was to determine from the positive and negative factors identified by Jones and Montenegro (1982), which factors Oregon female administrators perceived had influenced upward mobility in their careers. Study of this topic reveals added information and direction to administrators of university administrative programs, school board members and school personnel administrators involved in hiring and providing training or staff development. As a result, the commonalities and differences among female school administrators in Oregon are identified. Identifying the factors that relate to upward mobility of tenured and nontenured female administrators provides insight and hopefully will promote further investigation. A second purpose of the study was to provide, from the demographic data concerning upward career mobility of nontenured and tenured female administrators, a profile that identifies those practices which have proven to be effective when considering career decisions in school administration. Descriptive statistics were used to quantify the data recovered from a research instrument given to 218 female administrators and of the tests resulted in a written description of the similarities and/or differences between the tenured administrators' and the nontenured administrators' perception of the factors that influenced their upward career mobility. Additionally, the demographic data were analyzed, and profiles of the two groups were developed, again to show similarities and/or differences. The conclusions of the study supported the research hypotheses that: (1) there is no difference between the perception of identified positive and negative factors to upward career mobility between nontenured and tenured female school administrators, and; (2) there is no difference in the profile of the nontenured and the tenured female school administrator in Oregon. A synthesis of the conclusions was made from the analysis of positive and negative career factors as well as the profiles of Oregon women school administrators which basically stated that the group of nontenured administrators is much like the group of practicing tenured administrators. Recommendations were made to women aspiring to be administrators for the application of the conclusions and study of identified characteristics or elements of positive and negative factors which lead to upward mobility. Profiles of the administrators were also made for use in self assessment for both groups of female administrators. Suggestions for additional study were made based upon the findings and experience in conducting the study. Similar study or replication of the study is encouraged in order to provide further insight into the reasons for more women not achieving administrative positions, especially that of principal.