This paper presents the results of a study of three long-term rural superintendents and their districts. The districts were selected due to the academic successes of their students as indicated by high school graduation rate, percent of students receiving advanced designation diplomas, and percentage of graduates planning to attend college. Through a series of interviews with various stakeholders, data was collected to determine the characteristics of the communities and the superintendents. Four themes regarding longevity emerged from the study: leadership characteristics alone are not a sufficient predictor of longevity and success for a rural school superintendent; the superintendents had a focus on high expectations for student achievement in their rural schools; each superintendent developed and mentored a cohesive administrative team; and each leader built strong relationships while establishing trust among the school community. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]