There are not enough candidates to fill a looming number of job openings in the superintendency, according to a nationwide survey of school superintendents released this month by the AASA Center for System Leadership™, the professional development arm of the American Association of School Administrators.

The “2007 State of the Superintendency Survey: Aspiring to the Superintendency” contains brand-new data that offer a snapshot of the state of the school superintendency pipeline, incentives and barriers for joining the superintendency, and steps for expanding the pipeline to ensure a high-quality pool of superintendent candidates.

 AASA conducted the new survey in October 2007 as a follow-up to the 2006 State of the AmericanSchool Superintendency Mid-Decade Study. The 2006 study suggested that a large pipeline will be required to fill superintendent job openings in the near future. The 2006 study also found that just over 39 percent of superintendents planned to retire in the next five years, and that due to retirements and turnover, nearly 80 percent of all superintendents could retire or change positions in the next five years.

 The brand-new data from the “2007 State of the Superintendency Survey: Aspiring to the Superintendency,” include:

• Eight-five percent of the superintendents surveyed believe an inadequate supply of educational leaders exists to fill the anticipated superintendent openings in the near future. 
• The biggest incentive for those considering the superintendency as a career is improving teaching and learning for students. The biggest disincentives for those considering the superintendency as a career are lack of funding for the school system, personal family sacrifices and school board relations and challenges.
• Respondents said the top two initiatives to increase the supply of high-quality superintendent candidates are identifying and encouraging superintendent candidates and creating mentoring/coaching programs and networks.
• Eighty percent of superintendents reported that no programs exist in their districts to identify individuals aspiring to the superintendency.
• The majority of superintendents surveyed believe mentoring and coaching programs increase aspiring and sitting superintendents’ effectiveness.

 “Effective school system leaders play a central role in transforming public education and improving student achievement,” said AASA President Sarah Jerome, superintendent of schools in Arlington Heights , Ill. “This survey affirms the importance of implementing innovative programs to identify, develop and retain high-quality educational leaders. AASA is working to encourage interest in the superintendency among school leaders who reflect the diversity of the nation’s public school classrooms with anticipation that many vacancies will occur in the next five years.”

“Expanding the pipeline of school system leaders is a top priority for AASA,” said AASA Executive Director Paul D. Houston. “From innovative professional development opportunities to one-of-a-kind leadership networks, AASA is initiating new programs to help aspiring and current school system leaders expand their knowledge, build their skills and develop their leadership capabilities to provide the highest quality public education to help all children succeed.”