16 Lisa Hackel Pedevilla, EdD growth has stalled for the representation of women in the superintendency. This slow growth implies barriers still exist and supports need to be augmented and increased. Talented women who have prepared to serve as superintendent and show a more preferred transformational leadership style are not being utilized. Limitations The current Delphi study had limitations. All the expert panelists were from Texas, and not all geographical regions in the state were equally represented. The lack of representation of superintendents from other states limited the findings of the current study, which focused on superintendents in the state of Texas. It is not recommended to generalize the findings of the current study to other states or regions in the country. Findings may differ if a more accurate representation of the geographical area was represented. Another limitation of the current study was the potential for researcher bias when selecting the expert panel (Linstone & Turoff, 2002). The researcher sought feedback from respected Texas educational organizations regarding which superintendents to invite to decrease the possibility of bias. Also, to limit bias, the researcher consulted the treatise committee on the choice and presentation of questions. Recommendations The ranked lists of barriers and supports offer guidance to school districts, hiring firms, and professional organizations as to where efforts should be prioritized to increase equity. Due to the disparity of women in the role of superintendent and the minimal progress that has ensued, especially the stall in advancement in the past 10 years, more research is needed. School board members and hiring firms should further evaluate the systems in place used to hire superintendents. Removing bias and preconceived ideas, including cultural norms and societal expectations, should be discussed. Protocols should be established to prevent subjective opinions and personal feelings from impacting a hiring outcome. Panelists shared experiences about comments said to them by school board members and during the hiring process. Female Participant 15 Figure 3 Prioritized List of Supports Women Experience and the Codes of Each Support
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