1. RURAL AFRICAN AMERICAN ADMINISTRATOR CAREER TRAJECTORIES
A Dissertation
by
RHODENA TOWNSELL
Submitted to the Whitlowe R. Green College of Education
Prairie View A & M University
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
JANUARY 2009
Major Subject: Educational Leadership

2. RURAL AFRICAN AMERICAN ADMINISTRATOR CAREER TRAJECTORIES
A Dissertation
by
RHODENA TOWNSELL
Approved as the style and content by:
_____________________________
Dr. William Allan Kritsonis
(Dissertation Chair)
________________________________ ______________________________
Dr. David Herrington Dr. Donald Collins
(Member) (Member)
_______________________________
Dr. Camille Gibson
(Member)
______________________________________ _________________________
Dr. Lucian Yates, III Dr. William Parker
(Dean, Whitlowe R. Green College of Education) (Dean, Graduate School)

3. ABSTRACT
Rural African American Administrators Career Trajectories
(January 2009)
Rhodena Townsell: B.A.T., Sam Houston State University
M.Ed., Sam Houston State University
Chair of Advisory Committee: William Allan Kritsonis, Ph.D.
The purpose of this study was to describe factors that influence the career trajectories of
rural African American administrators. Although administrators are role models to many
(Nganga & Kambutu, 2005) there has been sparse research concerning their unique experiences.
Literature suggests that aspiring school leaders may gain insight from the experiences of others
that will result in a better understanding of the diverse career pathways toward successful school
leadership (Crenshaw, 2004). The findings of this study provide information and guidance to
those African American educators desiring to be rural administrators.
Research questions guiding the study were:
1. What childhood and academic experiences, including encouragements and barriers,
influence the career pathways of rural African American administrators?
2. What work experiences, including encouragements and barriers, influence the career
pathways of rural African American administrators?
3. What characteristics of rural African American administrators appear to influence their
career pathways?
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4. The conceptual framework for this research study was based on parts of Kowalski’s
research on minority administrators (2003), The Career Choice Model of Betz and Fitzgerald
(Manuel & Slate, 2003) and Critical Race Theory (Delgado & Stefanic, 2000).
The target population for this qualitative descriptive study was African American
administrators who have worked for rural Texas public schools. The nominations of 17 rural
African American administrators were collected from the 20 directors of the Regional Service
Centers and the five elected officials of the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators by the
snowballing technique.
The five themes emerging from the interviews were: (DIRECT) Determination to Do
Well, Independent Yet Rurally Connected, Enduring, Communicators of Discipline, and Trusting
in the Will of God.
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5. DEDICATION
Grandpa Ethridge Townsell always encouraged me by saying, “I’m wide awake and full of fun,
scared to death, but I won’t run!”
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6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all
your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
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7. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................i
DEDICATION................................................................................................................................iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................................iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................................v
LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................................viii
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem.....................................................................................................7
Purpose of the Study............................................................................................................8
Research Questions..............................................................................................................8
Conceptual Framework........................................................................................................8
Significance of the Study...................................................................................................10
Assumptions.......................................................................................................................12
Limitations of the Study.....................................................................................................12
Delimitations of the Study.................................................................................................12
Definition of Terms............................................................................................................13
Organization of the Study..................................................................................................14
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE...............................................................................15
African Americans and Public Schools.............................................................................15
Critical Race Theory..........................................................................................................17
Career Development Theories...........................................................................................18
Rural School Challenges....................................................................................................20
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8. Experiences and Characteristic..........................................................................................28
Themes from Literature.....................................................................................................38
Research Questions............................................................................................................39
Summary............................................................................................................................40
CHAPTER III. METHOD ...........................................................................................................41
Research Questions............................................................................................................41
Research Design.................................................................................................................42
Population and Sample......................................................................................................42
Instrumentation and Pilot Study.........................................................................................43
Validity and Reliability......................................................................................................54
Data Collection..................................................................................................................55
Data Analysis.....................................................................................................................55
Summary............................................................................................................................58
CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS OF DATA........................................................................................60
Introduction........................................................................................................................60
Response Rate....................................................................................................................60
Demographics....................................................................................................................62
Field Journal Notes............................................................................................................74
Data Reduction...................................................................................................................76
Research Questions
Research Question One..........................................................................................86
Research Question Two.........................................................................................87
Research Question Three.......................................................................................91
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9. Discussion..........................................................................................................................92
Summary of the Chapter....................................................................................................93
CHAPTER V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS..................................96
Summary of Study.............................................................................................................96
Summary of the Findings...................................................................................................99
Conclusions........................................................................................................................99
Implications......................................................................................................................103
Recommendations for Further Research..........................................................................107
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………109
APPENDIXES.............................................................................................................................116
Appendix A - Letter to Study Participants.......................................................................117
Appendix B - Letter of Permission..................................................................................149
Appendix C - Interview Instrument.................................................................................153
Appendix D – Transcriptions...........................................................................................156
Appendix F - IRB Approval............................................................................................182
VITA............................................................................................................................................185
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10. LIST OF TABLES
Table ....................................................................................................................................... Page
3.1 Themes from Literature Data Code Chart.........................................................................57
4.1 Rural African American Administrator Population by Gender.........................................62
4.2 African American Administrators per Geographical Location..........................................62
4.3 School District 1................................................................................................................63
4.4 School District 2................................................................................................................64
4.5 School District 3................................................................................................................65
4.6 School District 4................................................................................................................66
4.7 School District 5................................................................................................................67
4.8 School District 6................................................................................................................68
4.9 School District 7................................................................................................................69
4.10 School District 8................................................................................................................70
4.11 Teacher Turnover...............................................................................................................71
4.12 Percentages of African American Students, Professional Staff and Administrators.........72
4.13 Average Administrator Salary...........................................................................................73
4.14 Sample Administrators by Job Assignment.......................................................................74
4.15 Comparison of the Number of years in Education and to the Number of
Years in Administration.....................................................................................................80
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