On the other hand, women teachers who aspire to administrative positions often lack opportunities to participate in this, so called, normal track to the superintendency because many of them work in elementary education. Although about two-thirds of the nation’s schools are elementary, only a small percentage of them have assistant principals, and almost none have department chair positions (Glass, 2000). In sum, few elementary teachers have opportunities for head coaching assignments, assistant principalships, and department chair positions. Some researchers assert that women’s atypical career ladders are the result of their lower aspirations and lack of preparation (Glass, 2000; Gross and Trask, 1976). Others believe that their alternative career paths are dictated by traditions that place women in student-centered teaching environments, and/or that women aspiring to higher administrative positions do not effectively use networking opportunities such as mentoring and role modeling (Glass, 2000).