Superintendent Longevity and Student Achievement in North Carolina Public Schools

Researchers examined the relationship between superintendent longevity and district variables on standardized test scores for students in North Carolina.

The authors used hierarchical multiple regression to understand if superintendent-specific variables explained variance in student performance over and above district-based variables documented in the research literature. The continuous predictors were the percentage of students who receive free or reduced lunch (FRL), school size, and superintendents’ levels of experience.

This study illustrates that the issue of whether superintendents affect student achievement is not an all or nothing proposition. While superintendents can influence student achievement, particularly as their in-state experience increases, there are district predictors that must be considered.