This study involving superintendents from four states sought to identify the nature and quality of help provided by outgoing superintendents to their successors, and to capture data regarding differences in the helpfulness of that support, depending on whether the superintendent moved to a new superintendency, retired from the position, or was…

Superintendents leading school districts, particularly in hard-to-staff areas, face immense challenges in recruiting and retaining high-quality, well-trained teachers, principals, and district leaders. Many large urban areas as well as their rural counterparts have high concentrations of intergenerational poverty and unemployment. Rural areas are…

Indiana recently gained status as a national leader in educational reform. At the same time, a record number of superintendents retired, with 62 retirements in 2012 and 2013, representing 21% of superintendents in the state. The purpose of this study was to explore factors influencing superintendents' decisions to retire during this time.…

This report presents school district leaders' views about staff turnover, hiring, and districts' financial outlooks at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Based on the survey responses of 292 district leaders from the American School District Panel (ASDP), the authors found that teacher and principal turnover had not increased substantially…

This article focuses on preparation and access to the superintendency and is based on a research study conducted in 2010 that included data gathered from four recently retired, reputationally successful superintendents. While intended to examine career pathways that best prepare future superintendents, the study revealed that specific positions…

The 2015 AASA Superintendents Salary & Benefits Study marks the fourth edition of this study. This survey tracks the demographics, salary, benefits and other elements of the employment contracts of school superintendents throughout the country. This year's study is based on 728 responses, a 5.6 percent return rate. This is lower than previous…

This article examines high superintendency turnover through rural community members' perceptions of such attrition in their districts. Findings indicate that community members perceived high turnover as negative and believed that turnover was created by financial pressures, rural community resistance to educational trends, and bias against…

The 2014 AASA Superintendents Salary and Benefits Study is intended to provide superintendents with actionable information needed to manage their compensation. This edition marks the third year the association has undertaken a comprehensive study on public school superintendent compensation. Using a commercially prepared mailing list of American…

California annually experiences significant turnover among its superintendents; 468 out of 1,002 superintendents vacated K-12 superintendent seats in California between 1986 and 1989. Of this number, 92 accepted superintendencies in other districts and 4 became county superintendents. To discover where the other 372 superintendents went,…

Reports on a study of personal characteristics and attitudes of 155 first-time superintendents as compared with experienced superintendents, based on analysis of national data from 10-year study of the superintendency. Profile of first-year superintendents was nearly identical to that of experienced ones, except for a higher percentage of female…

Retired school superintendents were asked to comment on problems and sources of pride during their careers. The former superintendents agreed with presently employed colleagues (surveyed in a companion study) on many points; most said their work had been a rewarding experience. Trends affecting job demands are noted. (PP)

Explores leadership succession by studying an elected county school superintendent's experience. Extends the Gordon and Rosen theoretical model by identifying factors triggering succession, examining interim appointments, and identifying succession and organizational elements affected by the nature of elected leadership positions. The…

This paper presents findings of a 1994 followup study of New York state school superintendents. The first survey was conducted in 1992. Questionnaires sent by the New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS) to over 700 superintendents elicited 516 responses, a 68 percent response rate. The questionnaire gathered data on…

This volume is part one of a three-part report of the Educational Research Service (ERS) "National Survey of Fringe Benefits in Public Schools." Data were derived from a 2-part questionnaire that was mailed to 1,918 United States public school systems. A total of 810 school systems responded, creating a 42 percent response rate. Information is…

Part 1 of a three-part report on fringe benefits in the schools, this study focused on 1977-1978 fringe benefits provided for school superintendents. Data were collected through a survey instrument mailed to a national sample of 1,877 public school systems. Data on leave provisions, group insurance programs, professional liability insurance,…