Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2025
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ded)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Jesse Sealey
Abstract
The increasing complexity of educational leadership and rising principal turnover rates pose significant challenges for school districts across the United States. This study explored the relationship between superintendent servant leadership behaviors and principal job satisfaction in South Dakota's public K–12 schools. Grounded in Greenleaf's servant leadership theory, Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Motivation, Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, and the Job Characteristics Model, the research examined how superintendent leadership traits affect principals' satisfaction in their roles. Data were collected using the Servant Leadership Survey (Van Dierendonck & Nuijten, 2011) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire – Short Form. Findings revealed statistically significant correlations between overall superintendent servant leadership behaviors and principal job satisfaction, including intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions. This study adds to the growing literature on the influence of district-level leadership in creating supportive work environments and fostering principal retention. Practical implications include the potential for incorporating servant leadership development into superintendent training. Future research should examine servant leadership across educational settings and consider longitudinal designs better to understand its lasting effects on principal job satisfaction.
Subject Categories
Educational Administration and Supervision
Keywords
Educational leadership, Superintendent Servant Leadership Behavior
Number of Pages
110
Publisher
University of South Dakota
Recommended Citation
Alley, Matthew, "The Relationship Between Superintendent Servant Leadership Behavior and Principal Job Satisfaction in South Dakota" (2025). Dissertations and Theses. 350.
https://red.library.usd.edu/diss-thesis/350