The Superintendent Lab

This project is ongoing.

The Superintendent Lab seeks to support curious, detail-oriented undergraduate student researchers to support research focused on collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data on K-12 public school district superintendents (e.g., turnover and stability, gender and racial disparities). This position offers a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful research, gain valuable skills, and contribute to academic and policy-oriented work.

The Superintendent Lab is founded and run by Dr. Rachel S. White, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at UT Austin.

Project Website
The Superintendent Lab
Qualifications

 

  • Strong Attention to Detail: Ability to meticulously collect and manage data with a high degree of accuracy.
  • Technical Proficiency: Experience with data management and analysis tools is a plus.
  • Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills for presenting data trends and contributing to reports.
  • Organizational Abilities: Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively.
  • Motivation and Responsibility: Demonstrated motivation to contribute to research goals, with a responsible and proactive approach to tasks.
Project Timeline

Ongoing project timeline. 

Duties

Key Responsibilities:

  • Data Collection: Gather comprehensive name, demographic data, and contact information for U.S. K-12 public school superintendents.
  • Data Management: Ensure accuracy and completeness of collected data, maintaining meticulous records and organizing information systematically. In some cases, may include development of more sophisticated, robust data collection and storage systems.
  • Research Support: Assist in analyzing collected data to identify trends and patterns related to superintendent gender and racial gaps, and labor market dynamics.
  • Research Communication: Help in the development of research and policy briefs, conference paper proposals, and contributions to journal articles or media publications.
  • Inquiries and Analysis: Pose research questio0ns and engage in self-directed research using the dataset.
Typical Time Commitment
5-8 hours per week
Desired Length of Commitment
one semester, ongoing
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Project Lead
Who to Contact
Dr. Rachel S. White
Contact Email
rachel.white@austin.utexas.edu

I'M INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT. WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?

The Office of Undergraduate Research recommends that you attend an info session or advising before contacting faculty members or project contacts about research opportunities. We'll cover the steps to get involved, tips for contacting faculty, funding possibilities, and options for course credit. Once you have attended an Office of Undergraduate Research info session or spoken to an advisor, you can use the "Who to contact" details for this project to get in touch with the project leader and express your interest in getting involved.

Have you tried contacting professors and need more help? Schedule an appointment for additional support.