Internal superintendent hires can contribute to district stability, new study says
Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. A new Vanderbilt University study digging into Tennessee superintendent turnover found top leaders hired from within a school district were less likely to resign to take another job than candidates…
A Vanderbilt University study examining Tennessee superintendent turnover has found that top leaders hired from within a school district tend to remain in their positions longer than those recruited externally. This internal hiring can contribute to district stability, according to the study's co-author Jason Grissom, who emphasizes that these internal hires often have deep roots in the community and are more committed to staying in the system for the long term.
This reduces the likelihood of them leaving for other opportunities, such as other superintendencies or private sector jobs. The study analyzed 15 years of superintendent data across Tennessee, tracking superintendents who left for jobs in other districts, worked in the private sector, or pursued education policy-related work in the government and nonprofit sectors.
Chronic superintendent turnover can negatively impact student achievement, particularly in high-poverty districts, according to a separate Brown University study. High-poverty districts with frequent superintendent changes saw students perform two months behind schedule in learning compared to more stable districts. Grissom hypothesizes that the increasing trend of educators being promoted to principal positions and then to superintendent roles at younger ages may contribute to this trend.
He also notes a correlation between school board turnover and superintendent exits. While superintendent churn has decreased nationally since peaking during the pandemic, several large Tennessee school districts, including Williamson County Schools and Memphis-Shelby County Schools, have experienced superintendent losses in recent years.
Leadership stability has been a significant issue in Tennessee's largest school district. The audit by independent auditors identified leadership instability as a critical issue that eroded institutional knowledge, worsened staff retention, and weakened internal controls. The district also lacks a formal documented plan for leadership transitions, leading to fragmented record-keeping practices and policy inconsistencies.
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