Volume 1 - Issue 1 - DBU Journal for K-12 Educational Leadership - Page 61

Journal for K-12 Educational Leadership 59 than those specific to music administrators. The body of TMAC who responded to this survey may have been influenced by this general educational adminis - trator paradigm, and based their responses on personal ex- perience in the hiring process, rather than on their actual perceptions of the ideal competencies to be considered for a music administrator position. Benham (2011) noted, “As music administrators assumed their positions, many be- came painfully aware that they had really been hired by the administration to endorse whatever decisions were passed down to them” (p. 60). This question surfaces in response to the tepid recep- tion provided by Texas music administrators to the educa- tional competency of change agent. Music administrators ranked the change agent competency as number 20 of 21. It is known that music education is facing funding depletion while curriculum standardization and focus on testing has resulted in reduction of time in the school day for music in- struction, yet change agent tied for the lowest mean score of the 21 competencies. The benefits of strong music and arts programs take longer to manifest than the tenure of an upwardly mobile administrator or elected official. It may be argued that the traditional competencies of educational leadership, as iden- tified by Marzano et al. (2005), are insufficient to assist music administration to reshape the future of music education. It could be that music administrators do not yet recognize their critical role in the change process essential to the sur- vival of music programs as a vital component of a rich and comprehensive educational system. It is also recommended that the emerging competen- cies provided by the body of the Texas Music Administra- tor Conference be valued and utilized. Rather than simply changing the generic title from an existing job description and filling in the title of Fine Arts Director, this list will allow human resource departments and music administrator em- ployment committees to have a better idea of how to (a) cre - ate a functional job description and (b) develop pertinent questions to ask when screening and interviewing music administration candidates. Inside Track: Was the Most Qualified Candidate Hired? This study did establish that 78% of music administrators have served in a music administration capacity in their cur- rent school district only while 22% have served in at least two school districts. Further research could inquire to what extent central office music administrators have been promot - ed from within their district. This can be juxtaposed with data on whether or not best-practice methods were used to assess the qualifications of the candidates. Indeed, several of the free responses in the current study indicate that the applicant’s competencies were likely al - ready known from experience in previous positions in the district. A study of this kind could begin a research-based conversation about a common question in employment, spe-