Starting Point
Reluctant Candidates
School Administrator, January 2017

The myriad and complex challenges that confront those working as superintendents make it, at times, a thankless job. And apparently those widely publicized challenges are also a turnoff when it comes to career pursuits.

The choice of topic for our monthly State of the Superintendency infographic, always appearing on this page, was a compelling one. It highlights the primary reasons that many education administrators hesitate to apply for a superintendent’s post. In this case, the data displayed in the bar chart are drawn from a triennial snapshot of the superintendency produced by the New York State Council of School Superintendents with the group’s deputy director, Robert Lowry, providing the accompanying comments.

During the past 12 months, we’ve used the infographic to highlight trends about factors that impact the superintendent’s effectiveness, what superintendents see as their great skill areas, gender differences in marital status and where the superintendent expects to be five years hence, among other issues.

Typically, we draw on AASA’s periodic surveys as the basis of State of the Superintendency, and we benefit from the analysis of veteran researcher Robert McCord. With the latest AASA survey of superintendent salaries and related matters being released publicly in the next month, you can expect to find fresh insights about the profession on this page in the months to come.


Jay P. Goldman
Editor, School Administrator
Voice: 703-875-0745
E-mail: jgoldman@aasa.org
Twitter: @JPGoldman