Kentucky School Advocate
February 2022

By Robb Smith
Bellevue Independent Superintendent

It was the summer of 2014 and I sat in a ballroom turned conference space with two dozen of my new friends. Round tables draped in white tablecloths rested neatly below crystal chandeliers, giving a sense of familiarity to an otherwise foreign environment. If only thought bubbles were visible. I wanted to know if the weight of the moment anchored the others the way it did me. Sitting uncomfortably at the intersection of excitement and trepidation, I wondered if my years of experience mattered or if I even belonged. After all, this was supposed to be the pinnacle of the profession; a ticket to the ball – not bought but earned.

It was the first day of new superintendent onboarding, a year-long program for all new superintendents from the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA). Such training, which is required under state law, is meant to both prepare and assist newly minted superintendents in navigating the position’s pressures and responsibilities.

Generalizing these pressures can be challenging, as no two scenarios are the same. A number of factors including school board make up, district demographics, financial position, state and local politics, and performance in the state’s accountability system play a role in the challenges school superintendents face.

While recent research has validated the success of KASA’s induction program in relation to competency, the challenges that can impact the length of a superintendent’s service have caused some to wonder if the superintendency is now a temporary position filled only until a person can no longer withstand the multitude of negative interactions and influences.

Why does it matter how long a superintendent stays? Retaining a good superintendent fosters growth in student achievement and stability for the organization. The position is responsible for the vision and mission of the district as well as the formative goals that guide school-level staff. Conversely, frequent superintendent turnover can be attributed to lower student achievement, stalled progress toward goals and decreased morale among staff and the community.


At the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, the average length of service for all Kentucky superintendents was just over four years. Studies show the average tenure of superintendents across the country ranges from less than three years in urban districts to more than six years in suburban and rural areas. With research indicating whole-district student achievement being influenced by superintendent stability, the need to retain effective superintendents is apparent, especially in historically low achieving districts. Stability in the position also has a positive effect on employee morale, community support and the efficiency of daily district operations.

The research suggests that the U.S. education system inadequately addresses the problem of superintendent turnover, with one researcher commenting, almost 50 years ago, “The fit between the times, the local political context, and the dominant conception of leadership may well determine whether a schoolman can last out his contract.”

Unfortunately, not much has changed. A superintendent must navigate the waters of internal and external pressures while simultaneously creating a collaborative environment where stakeholders have a voice in the organization. All of which shows that establishing a mutual understanding and a working relationship with the school board is the most critical priority of the role. If longevity, and its implied stability, is a desired outcome, how can districts ensure longer tenures for their superintendents? What strategies exist to keep district leaders?
A shared vision
School boards, and superintendents by proxy, make innumerable decisions. While there may be disagreements on a single decision, there should never be uncertainty on the end goal or the “why.” For a superintendent new to a district, an initial activity should be the collaborative development of a mission and vision with superintendent goals and performance criteria directly corelated to those objectives.

Ambiguity is the enemy and the potential cause of fractured relationships. Successful superintendents, those with lengthy tenures due to progress toward mutual intentions, articulate the hallmark of reciprocal respect with their boards and how that respect permeates the district. In a conversation about targets, a fellow superintendent shared, “I have a very solid and consistent board with very little turnover. They have the common vision and stay with that vision. Sure, we’ve had growing pains as a district, but they understand my role and they understand the role that they have as board members. We are a team and put that above all else.”

It takes a village
Novice superintendents, and superintendents new to a district, need support in the first year to give them a better chance at success. To accomplish this, many states depend upon embedded professional development like KASA’s superintendent program. While this opportunity ends after the first year, the need for support doesn’t. This is why mentors are critical. Having a network of colleagues, both in formal and informal structures, provides an immediate repository of knowledge and skills formed from experiences unique to the position.

Research on induction programs emphasizes the value of mentor/protégé relationships. Protégés were clear that mentoring was of the highest importance due to the need for personal and professional networks to help navigate being a superintendent. While discussing mentoring, another superintendent said, “We have to have a group of people we can depend on both inside and outside the district. With all the change coming from the state, with all the budgetary issues, with the working relationship we work hard to maintain with our boards, you have to have people both in your district and on the outside that you can rely on for advice and for guidance and for support. It’s about relationships.”

While seemingly simple, the opportunity to create networks is often overlooked due to the time out of the district it could require. However, I would argue that the time away pays unquantifiable dividends when considering the expansive knowledge to be gained from colleagues. I encourage all boards and superintendents to join professional organizations, both instructional and leadership based. In addition, participation in local education cooperative activities immerses a superintendent in regional goals and partnerships.Time … and grace

We are all fallible. Mistakes will be made. The best of intentions will go awry from unforeseen circumstances (pandemic, anyone?). There is no shortage of adages or ancient fables that discuss learning from our failures. Research has consistently found that superintendent candidates pursue the position for altruistic motives; namely, wanting to make a difference for children. But success requires more than an individual effort. The disconnect is obvious; school leaders are viewed as strong, accomplished educators, which contradicts the notion of needing assistance from a peer. These leaders are more likely seen as a mentor, not a protégé.  

However, under all of that strength and accomplishment is a vulnerable human; one hoping to make a difference. A close colleague told me, “To say that I needed support in my first few years was an understatement, but I now see light at the end of the tunnel. I regularly reach out to superintendents around me and I also depend on regular feedback from my board. Without their guidance and our team approach, this would be an impossible job.”

Honest communication and evaluation are paramount to growth. I suggest that, when setting goals, superintendents and boards take a two-pronged approach: a set of goals for the district and a set for the superintendent. It has been said that anything worth pursuing won’t be easy, and this applies to both sets. Allowing the time and grace for excellence to develop is the trademark of a thoughtful school district.

As I finish my eighth year as superintendent, I wonder what a reunion of the superintendent class of 2014 would look like. The ballroom would be less full. With retirements, resignations and changes in direction, what once was a group of 24 is now 11. This drop-off is consistent with the classes of 2013, 2015 and 2016, accentuating the current four-year average tenure. And while I’m pleased to know my class may have helped bring up the average length of tenure, there is still much work to be done. I am convinced this work begins with the relationship between the school board and superintendent. Our students are worth the effort.

Robb Smith is the superintendent of Bellevue Independent Schools. This article is adapted from Smith’s 2019 University of Louisville dissertation, “Kentucky’s superintendent induction program: participants’ perceptions of competency and longevity. The full document can be found at https://bit.ly/superintendenttenure