Eight and one-half percent of the school district superintendents in the United States responded to questionnaires in 1985 concerning their opinions about education, their roles and working conditions, their relations with school boards, their backgrounds and professional interests, and the characteristics of their districts. Tabulations of the results are presented in this report. The superintendents were selected through random sampling of their home districts, with additional districts selected to ensure statistically meaningful sampling of districts at all levels of enrollment. The data are compared in terms of enrollment levels, expenditures per pupil, superintendents' years of experience, community types, and geographical regions. The report discusses the survey methodology and its accuracy, presents a composite portrait of the typical superintendent, and compares large and small districts in terms of their superintendents' characteristics; then presents the tables of data themselves. The 46 tables are divided into seven groups, focusing on professional and personal characteristics, school district profiles, the status and objectives of education, professional development, factors detracting from quality administration, and personal satisfaction with the profession. Highlights of the findings are presented with each table. A technical note concerning survey confidence levels concludes the report. (PGD)