(Un)Planned Failure: Unsuccessful Succession Planning in an Urban District

Abstract

Leader succession is often the result of a broken system, resulting in the loss of leadership gains from the exiting leader and leaving the incoming leader without proper support for success. This system needs replacing, with a system of dynamic succession planning that is carefully planned and an integral part of a school's improvement plan. To examine and understand these challenges in successful succession planning, I undertook a qualitative instrumental case study of a founding high school principal and her successor in an urban district engaged in small school reform. The findings suggest that these leaders’ lack of sustainability was influenced by a lack of district support and mentoring. These supports (or their lack thereof) affected the school's and district's effectiveness in transitioning the successor, planning for new leadership, and anticipating the supports needed for the school and its leaders.