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High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1213

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Title: High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1213
Language: English
Authors: Vladimir Kogan, Stéphane Lavertu, Zachary Peskowitz, Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2025.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 47
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Spencer Foundation
Document Type: Reports - Research
Descriptors: Boards of Education, Labor Turnover, Accountability, Elections, Academic Achievement, Democracy, Governance, Correlation, News Reporting
Abstract: We analyze the most comprehensive dataset on U.S. school board elections. We find that nearly half of races go uncontested and that incumbents are reelected more than 80 percent of the time when they run. Because many incumbents retire instead of running for another term, however, turnover is high (with 53 percent of incumbents replaced in a typical election cycle). School board turnover is also only weakly related to student learning rates. These dynamics--high turnover disconnected from school performance challenges--occur across both urban and non-urban districts, regardless of student demographics and local media environments. Together, these results suggest that local democracy produces high leadership churn and minimal incentives to improve student learning, two findings that can inform debates regarding the benefits and costs of local democratic governance.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/229162/.
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED674077
Database: ERIC
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  Data: High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1213
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  Data: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
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  Data: We analyze the most comprehensive dataset on U.S. school board elections. We find that nearly half of races go uncontested and that incumbents are reelected more than 80 percent of the time when they run. Because many incumbents retire instead of running for another term, however, turnover is high (with 53 percent of incumbents replaced in a typical election cycle). School board turnover is also only weakly related to student learning rates. These dynamics--high turnover disconnected from school performance challenges--occur across both urban and non-urban districts, regardless of student demographics and local media environments. Together, these results suggest that local democracy produces high leadership churn and minimal incentives to improve student learning, two findings that can inform debates regarding the benefits and costs of local democratic governance.
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  Data: https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/229162/.
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  Data: 2025
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      – TitleFull: High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1213
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