Urban Superintendents Dispositions and Non-Renewal of Contracts - An Examination of the Relationship Between the Involuntary Non-Renewal of Contracts

The initial interest in this topic was based on the alarming rate at which the tenure for superintendents is declining. The purpose of this study was (a) to determine if there is a relationship between disposition, as measured by each of the 18 competencies of emotional intelligence, and the involuntary non-renewal of contracts in urban superintendents as rated by others including school board members and district employees; and (b) to determine if there is a relationship, for each of the 18 competencies of emotional intelligence, between the perception gap, (defined as the difference between the superintendent self-rating and the rating of the superintendent by others) and the involuntary non-renewal of contracts in urban superintendents. The analysis was completed using a binary logistic regression. The study found two competencies with statistical significance in the ratings of others; and found statistical significance six competencies in the perception gap. The results were extremely interesting and not necessarily aligned with natural assumptions made with regard to disposition, tenure and the urban superintendent.