2025 American Superintendent Study: Mid-Decade Update

The role of the superintendent has grown more complex, demanding, and multifaceted than ever before. This study highlights the expanding dimensions of that leadership.

For more than a century, The American Superintendent study has provided a window into the evolving nature of school system leadership in our nation. From the earliest edition in 1923 to this 2025 Mid-Decade Update, AASA has remained committed to understanding who America’s superintendents are, what they do, and how their work shapes the story of public education.

This study continues that proud tradition, illuminating both the enduring values and emerging challenges that define the superintendency today.

The data presented in this Mid-Decade Update confirm what many of us have seen firsthand. The role of the superintendent has grown more complex, demanding, and multifaceted than ever before.

Leaders are navigating unprecedented pressures around finance, staffing, safety, and politics, all while remaining steadfast in their commitment to the growth and well-being of every student. Yet amid these challenges, a consistent theme emerges: superintendents continue to find purpose in service. They approach their work with a deep sense of moral responsibility — to ensure that every child, in every community, has access to a high-quality public education.

This study highlights the expanding dimensions of that leadership. Superintendents today must be adept communicators and coalition builders, forging partnerships across their districts and communities. They are strategic managers, balancing limited resources with unlimited expectations. They are instructional leaders who champion curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning. And they are civic leaders, navigating the intersection of education, democracy, and community trust.

The work has never been easy, but it has never been more important. At AASA, we view this evolution through the lens of The Public Education Promise, our shared commitment to ensure that public schools remain places of belonging and possibility — where every student develops the knowledge, life skills, and confidence to thrive in the real world.

The findings of this Mid-Decade Update affirm that superintendents are living that promise every day. They are leading with empathy and courage, listening to their communities, and helping students discover who they are and who they can become. In doing so, they continue to embody the best of what public education represents: opportunity, belonging, and hope for the future.