About the Lab

The Superintendent Lab is the central hub for data, research,

insights, and innovation on the school district superintendency.

Pillars guiding the work of the Superintendent Lab

Revealing

The Superintendent Lab aims to lift the veil on the superintendency through the development of rigorous and robust datasets. We are the home of The National Longitudinal Superintendent Database–a comprehensive database, updated on an annual basis, of over 12,500 superintendents across the United States, allowing us to explore issues related to superintendent labor markets over time and space.

We seek out collaborative partnerships with researchers and affiliates that are interested in data-driven dialogue to advance policies and practices that contribute to more equitable public school systems.

Humanizing

Behind all of the data that we collect and analyze are human beings. We aim to conduct research that is authentic and respectful of superintendents and the work they do. We embrace the power of big data and case studies—numbers as well as narratives.

While incorporating innovative technologies like artificial intelligence and web scraping, we recognize the importance of human interactions and strive to engage with the data with attentiveness to the personal and professional lives behind each data point.

Training

The Superintendent Lab strives to provide students at all levels with meaningful and rigorous research experiences through the development and improvement of big datasets and opportunities to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data.

We aim to foster collaborative dialogue among policy- and leadership-passionate undergraduate and graduate students and researchers to identify levers for change to create more inclusive, equitable public K-12 education systems.

Meet the team

Dr. Rachel S. White

Founder & Lead Researcher

Dr. White is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership & Policy at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research centers around issues of power, voice, diversity, and politics in education policy making spaces.

She primarily employs mixed methodological approaches to provide a more comprehensive understanding of (1) superintendent labor markets, (2) superintendents’ perceptions and enactment of their role as policy and political leaders, and (3) district-level levers of influence to advance equitable educational opportunity through district policy and nimble navigation of politically contentious topics and contexts.

Dr. White is a former local school board member/vice president and assistant high school cross country and track & field coach. She also previously served as a policy analyst for the Michigan Association for School Administrators and as the Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy for The Ohio College Access Network.

In her free time, Dr. White enjoys hiking, playing basketball, hot yoga, running, traveling, reading, and following her favorite college sports teams.

Read more about Dr. White’s research, as well as her public outreach and speaking/workshop engagements here.

rachel.white

@austin.utexas.edu

LinkedIn Profile

UT Austin Faculty Page

Research Team

Karylle Pernito

Research Associate

Karylle is pursuing her Master’s of Public Affairs at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, continuing her work with the The Superintendent Lab after graduating with a BSA in Human Development and a BA in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin. Committed to addressing social problems through research and policy, she is especially passionate about education equity. In the past, she’s interned with Breakthrough Central Texas and the US House of Representatives, as well as served as an Executive Director for SEAL UT. In her free time, she enjoys reading, solving logic puzzles, and trying various crafts to varying degrees of success.

Fizza Naqvi

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fizza Naqvi is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Public Affairs with a minor in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). Outside of research, Fizza is involved with Texas Political Consulting, where she enjoys collaborating with peers interested in public service and civic engagement, Texas Angels, and previously interned with the 240th District Court in Fort Bend County. Her research interests include education policy, municipal finance and capital markets, and understanding how public policy shapes long-term social and economic outcomes. In her free time, she enjoys playing pickleball, discovering new matcha spots, traveling, and going to concerts.

Mia McCormick

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Mia is a third-year student at the University of Texas at Austin, double majoring in Behavioral & Social Data Science and Corporate Communication. Through past work involving research, strategy, and communication, she became interested in how information gets turned into decisions and how data can help explain the people and organizations behind them. She is interested in pursuing a career at the intersection of data, research, and strategy. Outside of school, Mia enjoys traveling, going to concerts, finding new restaurants and places to explore, and spending time with friends.

Amaya Grundy

Undergrad Research Assistant

Amaya is a second-year student at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Psychology with a minor in Educational Psychology. Amaya is involved in a variety of ways on campus, but she especially enjoys highlighting BAWSE, an organization dedicated to creating community and support for Black women on campus, where she serves on the executive board as part of the Events Team. This year, Amaya works as a Cohort Undergraduate Research Apprentice researching the development of P3, the Policy Studies Professional Pathway at UT Austin. Her research interests include the academic achievement gap and understanding why the gap continues to persist and, in some cases, grow despite the many academic interventions and solutions that have been implemented. She is particularly interested in exploring the roles that education policy, funding, community factors, and other systemic influences play in shaping student achievement and identifying solutions that can meaningfully narrow the gap. Outside of school, Amaya enjoys spending time with her mom and friends, anything Chick-fil-A related, and giving back to her community through a wide range of community service initiatives.