Longevity Benefit

State of the Superintendency

Fewer than one in 10 superintendents responding to a recent AASA survey indicated they had a longevity clause in their employment agreement.

When disaggregated by school district enrollment, the survey found few of the smallest districts offer a longevity clause while the number was somewhat bigger for districts with higher enrollment.

Ironically, when respondents were asked to describe the economic condition of their district (strong, stable or declining), little evidence exists that longevity clauses depend on the perceived fiscal state of the local schools. Other factors appear to be at play, such as incentives for attracting and retaining superintendents.