Districts across the country, including some of the nation's largest, are facing a spate of superintendent vacancies. Schools chiefs or interim superintendents will be leaving this year or next in at least 17 well-known districts, including Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Clark County, Nevada; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Wake County,…

When the mayor and public school officials in the District of Columbia unveiled plans last month for converting Washington's middle and elementary schools to a pre-K-8 model, system leaders seemed confident the change would be good for students. After all, the school system has plenty of company. Since the late 1990s, districts in a growing number…