The role of the community in public education is rooted in the earliest beginnings of the American educational system. This exploratory and quantitative study examined what the superintendent does to lead the school district regarding community engagement, and also examined community member perceptions of that engagement. This was based on observations of the relationship between the school district and community in 100 school districts across the State of Wisconsin. In looking at the results of the study across the superintendency and two community groups, the researcher found that 82.7% of the responses were not significantly different. When looking at each of the community groups individually and comparing them to the superintendent group, the researcher found that 79.3% and 68.9% of the time the responses were not significantly different. It is the concept of community engagement coupled with the relationship between the school district and the community that make this study such an interesting topic. This study identifies areas where convergence exists between superintendent leadership and public perception specific to community engagement. Conversely, the study also identifies areas where there are significant discrepancies between superintendent practices and the perceptions of the community. It is through a close analysis of this information that superintendents are able to use this study to focus community engagement efforts in their districts. [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.]