Superintendent Turnover and Student Achievement: A Two-State Analysis

Abstract

Increased public scrutiny has thrust school superintendents into the spotlight, possibly exacerbating their turnover. To better understand how superintendent turnover is associated with student achievement, we collected data on school superintendent turnover in Florida and Texas spanning 2009–10 to 2017–18 school years. We conducted an event study difference-in-differences analysis to examine the dynamic relationship between superintendent turnover and student achievement. Student achievement decreases in the years after a superintendent turns over, though this relationship is small in magnitude (−0.015 standard deviation units). Superintendent turnover is most detrimental in urban school districts, districts enrolling more students, and districts with more concentrated student poverty, though these negative relationships can be partially explained by instability in the district that led to the superintendent’s departure.