The Invisible Wall- Barriers to Advancement for School-based Administrators

Although recent statistics have revealed an increase in the number of women in educational leadership positions, the number of females serving as secondary principals still lags proportionally behind the number of elementary female principals. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore women's perceptions of under-representation in educational administration at the secondary level. As reported by the secondary school participants, some of the major barriers preventing women from aspiring to become secondary principals included managerial and weekend responsibilities, safety or discipline concerns, and time commitments. Participants at the elementary level believed that women are underrepresented at this level because of family obligations, elementary schools becoming more of a community center, and unrealistic parent expectations. The study concludes with recommendations for changes in educational leadership programs, in addition to changes in hiring practices at the state and local levels. This book is for aspiring administrators, current administrators, human resource personnel, and university personnel.