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High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States

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Title: High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States
Language: English
Authors: Vladimir Kogan (ORCID 0000-0002-9871-4065), Stéphane Lavertu (ORCID 0000-0003-3971-3035), Zachary Peskowitz (ORCID 0000-0001-8765-4573)
Source: AERA Open. 2025 11(1).
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Reports - Evaluative
Descriptors: Boards of Education, Elections, State Policy, Labor Turnover, Differences, Regional Characteristics, Outcome Measures, Voting, Local Issues, Accountability, Board Candidates
ISSN: 2332-8584
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% of the time when they run. Because many incumbents retire instead of running for another term, however, turnover is high (with 53% 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: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1494528
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  Data: High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vladimir+Kogan%22">Vladimir Kogan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9871-4065">0000-0002-9871-4065</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stéphane+Lavertu%22">Stéphane Lavertu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3971-3035">0000-0003-3971-3035</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zachary+Peskowitz%22">Zachary Peskowitz</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8765-4573">0000-0001-8765-4573</externalLink>)
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
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  Data: 13
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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% of the time when they run. Because many incumbents retire instead of running for another term, however, turnover is high (with 53% 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: As Provided
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  Data: https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/229162
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1494528
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Boards of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elections
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: State Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor Turnover
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Regional Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcome Measures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Voting
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Local Issues
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Accountability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Board Candidates
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States
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            NameFull: Vladimir Kogan
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            NameFull: Stéphane Lavertu
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            NameFull: Zachary Peskowitz
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              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 2332-8584
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              Value: 11
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