Communicating Our Work
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Briefs & Infographics
Featured Briefs
Data availability and transparency around superintendent attrition
by Emily Bengyak & Rachel S. White
Data Brief
2024
U.S. Superintendent Attrition:
2019-20 to 2023-24
by Rachel S. White
Infographic
2023
Gender & the American Superintendency:
2019-20 to 2023-24
by Rachel S. White
Infographic
2023
Superintendent beliefs about & engagement in state education policymaking
by Rachel S. White
Infographic
2023
Research Spotlight: “Untapped Talent: An 11-year Analysis of the Texas Superintendent Workforce”
by Johnathon S. Jerman
Research Brief
2023
Superintendent gender gaps in the U.S. (2019-2022)
by Rachel S. White
Infographic
2023
Superintendent turnover in the U.S. (2019-2022)
by Rachel S. White
Infographic
2023
Superintendents experiencing threats and contention
by Rachel S. White, Michael P. Evans, Joel R. Malin
Brief
2023
Superintendent job-seeking behaviors: Types of positions sought and reasons for seeking
Rachel S. White, Michael P. Evans, Joel R. Malin
Brief
2023
Media Coverage
Superintendent vacancies are high. Is loosening requirements a good idea?
Evie Blad, EdWeek
Media interview
4/23/2024
Over 80% of women leaders in education experience bias, survey shows
Linda Jacobsen, The 74
Media mention
3/19/2024
Advice from 8 women superintendents for those following in their footsteps
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media mention
3/6/2024
Women encounter steeper climb in educational administration
Matt Pearl, Scripps News
TV interview
3/1/2024
AASA PEP Talk Episode 27: Superintendent Attrition , Mobility and Gender
Kat Sturdevant (AASA) and Rachel White
Podcast Interview
2/22/2024
Why is 1 in 5 supes named Michael, John, David, Jeff, James, Chris, Brian, Robert, Mark, or Steve?
Rachel White, The 74 Million
Op-Ed
2/8/2024
Addressing the challenge of postpandemic district leadership
Rachel White, Jennifer Cheatham, Carl Cohn, and Julie Marsh
PACE 2024 Annual Conference Panel
1/25/2024
Advice from former superintendents on retaining those still on the job
Betty Márquez Rosales, EdSource
Media Mention
1/31/2024
Political pressures and controversies driving superintendent turnover nationwide
Josh Rosenthal, Fox 5 DC
TV Interview
1/23/2024
Memphis superintendent search nears close with final set of candidate interviews
Laura Testino, Chalkbeat
Media Interview
1/31/2024
What the data says about superintendent turnover in 23-24
Micah Ward, District Administration
Media Mention
1/9/2024
10 education studies you should know from 2023.
Sarah Sparks, EdWeek
Media Mention
12/21/2023
Salaries, benefits increase as school superintendents become harder to find
Diana Lambert, EdSource
Media Interview
12/11/2023
Threat, stress and politics pushing school superintendents out the door
Diana Lambert, EdSource
Media Interview
12/5/2023
A new study details gender and racial disparities in the superintendent’s office
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media Mention
12/5/2023
Should school board members go local or look afar for the next superintendent? That depends
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media Interview
11/22/2023
Should school board members be paid? More districts are trying it out
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media Interview
11/14/2023
High pace of superintendent turnover continues, data show
Evie Blad, EdWeek
Media Mention
9/20/2023
More superintendents are quitting as school year begins
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media Interview
8/23/2023
States are making a flurry of school policies. Why aren’t superintendents more invovled?
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media Interview
8/15/2023
Superintendent turnover is increasing and gender gaps are barely budging
Rachel White, The Conversation
Public commentary
5/15/2023
There’s a good chance your superintendent has one of these 15 names
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media Interview
3/24/2023
3 things we know about superintendents
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media Interview
4/13/2023
Why are so many school superintendents leaving the job?
Rachel White, Governing
Public commentary
3/21/2023
What are the odds your superintendent is named Michael, David, or John?
Emily Tate Sullivan, Ed Surge
Media Interview
3/14/2023
“Is your superintendent’s name Kevin?”
@Sabocat
Social Media Post
3/7/2023
Why aren’t there more women superintendents?
Stephen Sawchuk, EdWeek
Media Interview
3/10/2022
A lauded superintendent retires after years of crises: “I don’t want to become bitter”
Stephen Sawchuk, EdWeek
Media Interview
9/7/2023
Research Papers
“Trial and Error” & “Trudging Up a Hill”: Superintendents’ Beliefs About and Engagement in State Education Policymaking
White, R.S. (2023) in Annenberg Institute at Brown University Working Paper Series
Ceilings Full of Glass and Leaving En Masse?: Examining Superintendent Gender Gaps and Turnover Over Time Across the United States
White, R.S. (2023) in Educational Researcher
What’s In a First Name? America’s K-12 Public School District Superintendent Gender Gap
White, R.S. (2001) in Leadership and Policy in Schools
Studying the Superintendency: A Call for Research
Annenberg Institute at Brown University
The Unique (and not-so-unique) Political Battles of Suburban Superintendents
White, R.S., Evans, M.P., & Malin, J.R. (2023) in Phi Delta Kappan
Are Locally Elected Boards Really Failing?
White, R.S., Stitzlein, S., Knight-Abowitz, K., Gottleib, D., & Schneider, J. (2023) in Education Next
Schools Boards and Superintendents Should Work in Concert
Caitlynn Peetz, EdWeek
Media Interview
8/15/2023
Who Do State Policy Makers Listen To? The Case of Teacher Evaluation
Rachel White, The Conversation
Public commentary
5/15/2023
Helping School Districts Function More Democratically
Collins, J., Gottleib, D., Knight-Abowitz, K., Murray, B., Saultz, A., Schneider, J., Stitzlein, S.M., & White, R.S. (2023) in American School Board Journal