ABSTRACT
Sometimes characterized as “deer in the headlights,” freshly minted urban school superintendents often experience disorientation as they adjust to the transition from the role of instructional manager to that of adept politician. The traditional journey from expert teacher to school principal to district superintendent does not necessarily prepare education professionals for contending with the politics of the current educational climate of high-stakes testing, budget cuts, and violence in schools. The environment in which an urban school superintendent finds herself is often confusing to the point of paralysis.
