Transformation in School District Leadership: Is Constant Administrative Shuffling Becoming the Status Quo?
The school year 2024-25 saw a significant increase in superintendent turnover rates, with 114 districts experiencing at least one leadership change. According to the annual data analysis conducted by the ILO Group, the turnover rate was higher than the previous year's rate of 20% and above historic pre-pandemic averages of 14-16%.
Julia Rafal-Baer, the co-founder and CEO of the ILO Group, emphasised the importance of stability in leadership for students. "The high rate of leadership churn is straining districts at a time when students need steady, effective leadership the most," she stated.
The report, known as the Superintendent Research Project, also found that women were more likely to be appointed superintendent in times of crisis. In the 2024-25 school year, the percentage of large school districts with female superintendents increased from 30.4% to 33.2%.
Interestingly, of the 114 new superintendents appointed in 2024-25, 61% were men. However, women were more likely to be appointed superintendent if they first served as a deputy superintendent or took the position on an interim basis.
Moreover, women superintendents were more likely than men to be internal candidates, with rates of 55% and 50% respectively. In addition, 74% of female superintendents held doctorates, compared to 69% of male superintendents.
Rafal-Baer also emphasised the need to stop treating the role of superintendent as a revolving door. She highlighted the importance of tapping into the pool of highly qualified, battle-tested leaders already in schools and state education agencies to improve leadership stability and meet current challenges.
The ILO Group, a consulting firm that advocates for and provides support for women in educational leadership, did not disclose specific companies hiring them as consultants for promoting and supporting women's leadership in school education.
The superintendent turnover rate among the nation's 500 largest school districts in the 2024-25 school year was 23%. This high rate is a concern as districts face shrinking enrollment, strained budgets, and ongoing struggles to boost student achievement.
Despite the challenges, the number of female superintendents has been trending upward since 2018, according to the ILO Group's data collection. The report finds that women were more likely to be appointed superintendent in times of crisis, indicating a potential shift in leadership dynamics in the education sector.
