New Report Details Cost of Conflict for Districts
October 23, 2024
AASA is proud to share The Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact of Culturally Divisive Conflicts on Public Schools in the United States, which examines the societal and fiscal cost of culturally divisive conflicts that have wracked schools in recent years, such as those over LGBTQ+ issues, teaching about race and racism, and efforts to ban books. John Rogers, Rachel White, Robert Shand, and Joseph Kahne penned the report, released today. Dr. Rachel White is the Founder & Principal Investigator with The Superintendent Lab, a key hub for data, research, insights, and innovation on the school district superintendency.
Released by a team of researchers at UCLA, the University of Texas at Austin, American University, and UC Riverside, the survey offers insight into the level and frequency of conflicts and the personal toll and disruptive impact on school districts of misinformation and hostile and violent rhetoric and threats. In what the researchers believe is the first study to do so, the research analyzes the financial costs incurred by school districts in responding to culturally divisive conflict, estimating the cost for the nation’s public schools at approximately $3.2 billion during the 2023-24 school year.
SUMMARY: The research analyzes the financial costs incurred by school districts in responding to culturally divisive conflict, estimating the cost for the nation’s public schools at approximately $3.2 billion during the 2023-24 school year.
Of the 467 superintendents responding to the survey, almost all experienced some sort of culturally divisive conflict during the 2023-2024 school year. For the survey analysis, the researchers established a “conflict score” based on the level and frequency of conflicts experienced by superintendents, ranking schools with Low, Moderate, and High Conflict. Thirty-eight percent of school districts experienced Moderate levels of culturally divisive conflict. More than one-quarter (27.5%) reported experiencing High levels of conflict, with conflict occurring regularly across several issue areas, often accompanied by violent rhetoric or threats.
The conflicts have had a direct impact on the well-being of superintendents. In survey responses and follow-up interviews, superintendents told of personal threats to themselves and their staff. Fifty percent of superintendents reported they experienced at least one instance of harassment in the 2023-24 school year. Ten percent received threats of violence, and 11% experienced property vandalism. School districts were also plagued by the spread of disinformation, baseless allegations, and personal harassment. In the words of one superintendent, “Our social media accounts were effectively bombed … full of messages of hate. My 60-plus-year-old administrative assistant was bombarded with phone calls to the point where she wanted to quit.”
Such culturally divisive conflict likely has a direct impact on superintendent turnover. Previous research has shown superintendent turnover has increased from 14.2 % to 17.1% over the last four years. The “Cost of Conflict” survey found that among those superintendents who have sought out another position in the last year, 42% indicated their decision was related to school board conflict, stress, and politics.
“The role of a superintendent is one of constant visibility and responsibility. The relentless demands of leading a district can easily overshadow their own well-being, which, if neglected, not only affects their personal health but also the health and stability of students, educators, and families they serve,” said Rachel S. White, of University of Texas at Austin. “Reducing the extent to which superintendents experience unwarranted divisiveness is an important step to change the trajectory of increasing superintendent churn.”
Almost a third (29%) of superintendents also reported that teachers and other staff members left the district or the profession due to culturally divisive conflict. Superintendents in High Conflict districts were most likely to report heightened levels of staff turnover.
Culturally divisive conflict has also undermined staff well-being and increased rates of staff absenteeism. Seventy-two percent of superintendents in Moderate Conflict districts and 94.3% of superintendents in High Conflict districts said culturally divisive conflict had a negative impact on staff stress and mental health. Thirty-five percent of superintendents in Moderate Conflict districts and more than two-thirds (69%) of superintendents in High Conflict districts said such conflict had a negative effect on staff absenteeism. Some superintendents also said they experienced difficulties in the recruitment of new staff due to divisive conflict.
Responding to culturally divisive conflict and its impact comes with significant financial costs for school districts. Superintendents reported increased direct financial costs for services such as additional security, communications, and legal work. They also reported increased indirect costs for redeploying staff time to address challenges created by culturally divisive conflict, such as dealing with misinformation or threats on social media, responding to news media inquiries about book bans, or addressing dramatic increases for public records requests. Increased staff turnover created by culturally divisive conflict also increased costs for employee recruitment and training.
In what the researchers believe is the first analysis of its type, the survey report estimates fiscal costs for school districts in responding to culturally divisive conflict. HIGH Conflict districts have substantially higher costs of responding to conflict than any other type of district. On average, a school district serving 10,000 students and experiencing Moderate levels of conflict is spending nearly $500,000 annually. Those districts experiencing High levels of culturally divisive conflict are spending an average of $812,000. If a district with a High level of conflict decreased to a LOW level of conflict ($250,000), the district would save roughly $562,000.
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