Despite their charge to set districts’ courses and priorities, superintendent turnover has minimal effect on students’ academic performance, but the impact is most acute in districts already most prone to turnover in the top position, according to a new study.
The research—conducted by Christopher Redding and Steven Carlo at the University of Florida— is the first to explore the topic of superintendent turnover and student achievement in a decade and comes as superintendent turnover has been on the upswing since the pandemic amid high-profile political clashes and mounting challenges to students’ academic recovery, staff morale, and school budgets.
