Examining the Effect of Superintendent Turnover on Principal Turnover

• In Event: 81.032 - MTCC Roundtable Session 37
  In Roundtable Session: 81.032-1 - Modeling the Effects of Organizational Factors on Student and Educator Outcomes

Abstract

This paper uses discrete time hazard modeling to examine the effect of superintendent turnover on principal turnover for 92,705 principal-year observations over an 18 year time span. We control for the personal characteristics of principals and superintendents, the characteristics of schools and districts, and year of employment. We find superintendent turnover is statistically significantly and positively associated with increased principal turnover. Specifically, we find that superintendent turnover increases the odds that a principal will (a) leave her/his school, (b) move to a new school as a principal, and (c) leave the principalship. Finally, we find turnover occurs most frequently in schools serving greater proportions of students of color and students living in poverty.
Topic Descriptors: Principals, Superintendents, Turnover

Authors

• Ed Fuller, The Pennsylvania State University

• Andrew Pendola, Auburn University

• Liz Hollingworth, University of Iowa