State of the Superintendency
Personal Growth
School Administrator, March 2017


The time that superintendents spend on their own professional development, how they spend their time and the type of professional development they desire have changed over the past decade. Between 2006 and 2015, superintendents who spent 10 or more hours a month on informal professional development such as reading and collegial discussions reported a 9 percent increase.

Changes in education policy may be influencing both the location of professional development activities and the most valuable topics. The same survey of 351 superintendents in New York state showed an 8 percent increase in participation in local professional development programs.

Forty-three percent of the superintendents found professional development on systemic change and improvement for school districts most valuable, a 10 percent increase from 2006.
 


Source: “Snapshot IX: The Triennial Study of the Superintendency in New York State 2015,” published by New York State Council of School Superintendents. Analysis by Elaine Zseller, supervisor of strategic initiatives and communication, Nassau BOCES, Garden City, N.Y. Report available at www.nyscoss.org.