The Impact of Superintendent Turnover on Key District Personnel: Evidence From Ohio

• In Event: 54.080 - Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: 54.080-1 - Leadership in Transition: Responding to Outcomes

Abstract

Informed both by interviews with staff and public school employment data, this study provides suggestive evidence that superintendent turnover impacts principals and central office staff. Findings suggest perceptions of turnover can be positive or negative, but frequent turnover is always perceived negatively. The study finds that increased exposure to superintendent turnover is associated with higher probabilities of leaving a principalship or the central office. Districts that lose their superintendent experience higher percentages of subsequent staff turnover on average. Indeed, all interviewed superintendents made changes to the central office and most made changes to principals. Superintendents hired within district were less likely to leave on average. Interviews suggest that superintendent turnover is more positively perceived when a successor is hired internally.

Author

• Susan Burkhauser, Loyola Marymount University