At TSL, we collect data on stories behind supt attrition, as publicly reported. So far, we’ve coded ~9k sources to inform this work.
It’s important to recognize that this is what the public knows about supt attrition--likely underestimating politicized attrition.
/end
Over the last decade, I noticed that research focused on superintendent attrition typically reduced attrition to a simplistic, binary measure: they stayed or left.
Yet, there is a human side of attrition & the nature of supt transition may impact district operations & student learning.
…2/3
The Superintendent Lab (TSL) released a brand new research infographic that explores nuances of superintendent attrition over time using data from the National Longitudinal Superintendent Database 🤓
A few notes about how/why this data came to be…1/3
infograph.venngage.com/pl/spyQgQ77Fi4
Continued gratitude for our studnet journalists @ The Daily Texan who tirelessly cover impt issues impacting our Longhorn community
I recently chatted w Isaiah, Senior News Reporter, for his story “What’s going on with the Department of Education?”
Check it out ⤵️ thedailytexan.com/2025/03/24/t...
I joined @derekgottlieb.bsky.social Dr. Rob DeMeuse on The School Perceptions Podcast to chat about drivers of supt turnover & should be we concerned about it? (hint: i'm mostly concerned some communities are more at risk of experiencing leadership instability)
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Great read on what U.S. Dept of Ed actually does
“For every $1 ED gets from Congressional approps, it spends ~ 3.4 cents to make money flow, enforce the law, & ensure someone picks up phone when one of the tens of millions of student loan borrowers needs help”
www.slowboring.com/p/what-the-d...
Amazing ending to last nights game〽️
Go Blue!!
Total cost of culturally divisive conflict estimated at $3.2 billion and @drrachelswhite.bsky.social notes some additional costs not included in this estimate.
The real cost? All the educational opportunities not provided when money is reallocated to deal with threats.
Last day, best day @aefpweb.bsky.social #AEFP2025😉
Come join this fun session on conflict🤓 — I’ll be sharing our paper on the cost of conflict to K12 schools & superintendents (spoiler alert🚨 : $3.2 billion on 2023-24)
🚨New pub in AERA Open that uses latent profile analysis to pose a more nuanced, holistic measure of teacher working conditions, allowing one working conditions to move in conjunction with another.
Live Handbook is a new resource from the Association for Education Finance & Policy which provides continually updated summaries of high quality education research on multiple topics. Check it out today: livehandbook.org/
Excited for the release of the @aefpweb.bsky.social
Live Handbook on Education Policy Research!
Grateful to contribute two chapters covering ALL THAT WE KNOW from research on (1) superintendents & (2) school boards, w/ wonderful co-author James Bridgeforth🤓
livehandbook.org/k-12-educati...
Immediate reactions to USED employee RIF shared w/ UT Austin student journalist, Diego ⤵️
thedailytexan.com/2025/03/12/u...
Though RIFs are being done in name of efficiency, cuts will lead to more inefficiencies as there are fewer folks carrying out critical supports & oversight mandated by Congress
@aefpweb.bsky.social folks! Join us for a collaborative Community Groups Happy Hour on Friday✌🏼🤓
Lite food & drinks are FREE!!
Excited for members of the First Gen Community group to have this opportunity to share space with Scholars of Color, Ed Dev, and Policymaker & Practitioner communities!
The updated 2024-25 superintendent gender infographic w details on variation in gender gaps based on district characteristics, proportion of women serving in an interim status, & more here:
lnkd.in/gx284zXY
While some states have made great gains in closing superintendent gender gaps, others have gone backwards.
@ucea-leadership.bsky.social @aefpweb.bsky.social @edweek.bsky.social @edsurge.com @chalkbeat.org @haveyouheard.bsky.social @leadingnow.bsky.social
The superintendent gender gap is closing, albeit at a painfully slow rate -- at an average of 1.3 percentage points per year.
At this rate, the national superintendent gap may close by 2055 -- though some states may achieve equity much faster than others, as is shown in the next visualization...
The Superintendent Lab just released the 2024-25 update on supt gender gaps & supt attrition
First up: gender gaps through the lens of first names
- Michaels, Johns, & Davids made up nearly 10% of all supts
- 1 out of 5 supts has one of the 10 first names listed below
THE ENERGY from this group of incredible women ed leaders in SoCal was 🔥🔥
Thank you Assoc of California School Admins Region 14 for inviting into this amazing community to share research on supt policy engagement, attrition, & gender inequities at this morning’s Women’s Leadership Breakfast🤓
When school culture wars lead to superintendent firing, resignation etc it costs districts big $$$. In fact, in one year, the total cost is about $3.2 Billion. Which is a lot.
Great interview with @drrachelswhite.bsky.social on the @nepc.bsky.social podcast:
nepc.colorado.edu/publication/...
Listen to our weekly Podcast Pick 🗣️🎙️ on the #AASAadv app on the App & Play Stores: aasa-advocacy.app.link/view. This week we picked NEPC Talks Education w/ @cmsaldana.bsky.social and @drrachelswhite.bsky.social about the evolving landscape of K-12 educational leadership and the superintendency.
Rachel White, University of Texas at Austin
February's NEPC Talks Education podcast:
@cmsaldana.bsky.social and @drrachelswhite.bsky.social discuss the the evolving landscape of K-12 educational leadership and the superintendency
nepc.colorado.edu/publication-...
Loved the opportunity to share our collaborative research on the cost of conflict to k12 public schools & superintendents with @publicschoolsfirstnc.org 🤓
Last week, I got to work w supts from across U.S. to develop strategies for leading in our current political context.
The convos were powerful, even when things they’re navigating are hard to comprehend.
Reminded how impt this position is for our kids & our nation. Grateful for y’all🤓
Always wonderful to nerd out over supt research w @noellerson.bsky.social 🤓
Such a fun episode to be a part of--primarily focused on a recent study that I was part of explored the costs of conflict to public schls & supts💰
Check out the Pod👇🏽 & the report here
idea.gseis.ucla.edu/publications...
Heart is so full❤️
Joint-endeavor between pops (a school board member for nearly 40 years now) + me (who studies school governance & is a former school board member, too🤓) for a larger podcast on school boards & democratic governance!
Can’t wait to see how this turns out!
Voters will soon be deciding who to vote for in Spring schl brd elections🗳️
Had a fun convo w @derekgottlieb.bsky.social abt what schl brd members can/should do, supt-brd relations, & how voters may think abt who they want to serve their community in this role
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
Wow, so scary. Thinking of you and hoping you and your fam are able to stay safe.
Grateful to be included among this amazing slate of candidates for AEFP board of directors🤓
Of course, as a scholar of the politics of schl governance & former schl board member, I am hopeful for high voter turnout among AEFPers🗳️& I know AEFP will be in great hands w/ any one from this slate😊
