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• Superintendent turnover in California increased from 11.7 % in the year after 2019–20 to 20.9 % after the 2020–21 school year. 

• After 2021–22, the turnover rate was just over 18 %. 

• A recent analysis places California’s superintendent turnover (for districts > 3,000 students) at ≈ 18.8 % during 2023–24. 
  

These numbers imply that in any given year, roughly 1 in 5 superintendents in California may leave or be replaced.

• An older study (covering 1974–1989) found that California’s more than 1,000 school districts had an average superintendent turnover rate of 16.18 % per year over a six-year span. 

• That earlier work suggested that unified districts (K–12 combined) had especially high turnover. 

While that’s dated, it shows that high turnover in CA is not just a pandemic artifact; it has longer roots.

• Many superintendents cite political pressure, board turnover, stress, community conflict, and pandemic-era demands as reasons for leaving. 

California: Turnover & Tenure TrendsTurnover rates risingHistorical “crisis” noteEffects & context in California