Most published research on the superintendency has failed to examine the voices of female superintendents. Today, white males make up approximately 85% of superintendents, rendering female responses to the superintendency almost nonexistent. Women Leading School Systems, commissioned by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), provides a historical overview of women in top leadership positions. This study examines what drives some female educators to accept the challenge of becoming a superintendent and what drives others to remain in middle management. The authors also profile a number of women who spend their lives at the top of the school system. This comprehensive book is the only national study entirely dedicated to women's leadership.

"All seven chapters of Women Leading School Systems enable the book to make a substantial and important contribution to the research literature on women in educational leadership." - Teachers College Record

"Brunner and Grogan perform due diligence to this work by sharing the values, visions, stories and perspectives of several subgroups of women....With extensive use of tables and figures, the authors provide in-depth insight into this uncommon group of women who demonstrate that the most difficult problems in public education are not insurmountable....All aspiring school system leaders and those presently in those roles need to know these women." - School Administrator, October 2008