The U.S. Census Bureau projects 77 million baby boomers will either retire or prepare for retirement this year. That means that baby boomers are retiring faster than their workforce replacements—leaders in particular—can be developed.
As leadership talent pools shrink, more school districts are adopting a thoughtful and deliberate approach to succession planning. A 2009 study of principal tenure in Texas 
revealed that half of all newly hired principals leave within three years and seventy percent leave within five years. Who will replace them all?
Succession planning is a deliberate and focused effort to prepare to replace key leaders when they retire or move on. Succession planning processes can be simple or complex depending on the organization’s goals and scope of targeted positions. A simple process of replacement planning involves taking inventory of targeted positions in key leadership roles and investigating the following questions:
Making an investment in succession planning generally involves a one- to three-year process of identifying and developing potential leaders to keep talent and knowledge in the pipeline. It is an investment in the human capital that drives school district success.
A critical part of the planning process for districts is identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform critical functions and then developing a plan to prepare a new pool of talented individuals to perform those functions. In school districts, most of the leadership positions are at the campus level. Therefore, most succession planning programs in public education have been directed at the development of campus instructional leaders.
Frisco ISD is a suburban, fast-growth district near Dallas with more than 34,000 students. Eight years ago the district started a program called GOAL—Growing Organizational and Administrative Leaders. Linda Bass, assistant superintendent for Human Resources, explained that the district wanted to preserve its philosophy and leadership culture through the flurry of continual growth and expansion. It also wanted to provide career opportunities to talented and ambitious teachers. The GOAL program has helped them accomplish both of those things.
GOAL is a one-year program to develop interested and qualified staff into a talent pool of potential leaders. It is managed by a team of directors from both the Human Resources and Curriculum Departments. Since it began in 2002, 91 participants have completed the program. Forty-six of those participants now serve in leadership positions in Frisco.
The first awareness session is open to all interested staff, but the district’s selection criteria are stringent. To be selected, candidates must have a master’s degree and submit an application accompanied by recommendations from a principal and one other administrator. They must complete the Gallup Principal Insight screening assessment and a personal essay. To select this year’s GOAL group, the FISD administrative team screened 70 applicants to select 20 participants.
Once chosen, participants must commit to a year of monthly meetings to learn more about the district and the realities of leadership job responsibilities. This year the district began providing substitute coverage for attendance at these meetings. GOAL group members must also participate in book studies, shadow assigned administrators, and work on a campus or district improvement team. A highly valued part of the process is a requirement to complete a project that will benefit the district. As Bass explains, “This allows us to see how well they can do research, organize information, and present information.”
Rick Reedy, Frisco ISD’s superintendent, hosts a graduation dinner for each year’s GOAL group where participants present a synopsis of their projects. Several of these projects have indeed benefitted the district in significant ways. After one participant developed and presented a plan for improving Hispanic parent involvement in schools, the district decided to create a new parent liaison position that continues today. Another project evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of different alternative teacher certification programs in Texas. The findings from that project not only affected the district’s hiring strategy, but also led to the development of supplemental training for teachers from alternative certification programs.
Gene Burton, superintendent of Rockwall ISD (enrollment 13,500), has worked diligently to instill a strong culture of leadership throughout the district. As Marsha Mason, executive director of Human Resources, explains, “All RISD employees know and understand Superintendent Burton’s non-negotiable expectations which create the foundation on which we are building the future of our district.”
As Burton began thinking of retirement, he also thought long and hard about how to best handle a transition and keep the district’s culture intact. He approached the board with a plan: Conduct a national search to find the very best candidate and then provide that person with a transition period to learn the district before flying solo. The board approved a new deputy superintendent position to provide Burton with the opportunity to introduce and mentor his own replacement. The final hand-off will occur this June when Burton retires. The district’s next superintendent, who will have served in a deputy capacity for 15 months, will then captain the ship.
Like Frisco, Rockwall ISD has an Aspiring Administrator Academy to nurture and develop future leaders from its own employee ranks. The academy also uses an application and screening process to select the best candidates. Academy members meet monthly for a two-hour session which includes guest speakers, problem-solving activities, discussion and reflection. The facilitator and participants continue interaction and discussion between sessions via e-mail, phone, and campus visits.
Topics addressed include the following:
The Aspiring Administrator Academy is led by a former district principal. It has been in place for three years and 33 teachers have taken part. Three participants have risen to the ranks of assistant principal in Rockwall ISD and one has been hired as an assistant principal in a neighboring school district. Another participant is currently in a central office leadership position as Rockwall ISD’s Special Education coordinator.
Concern about the supply and quality of future leaders in schools has led some states to launch programs to encourage school districts to do more succession planning. The Delaware and Maryland Departments of Education have both launched efforts to develop succession planning models and provide training for districts. Texas had a program during the 90s called the Texas Principal’s Leadership Initiative (TPLI) that was created to expand leadership development for principals. Funded by grants from the Texas Education Agency, TPLI was disbanded when grant funds ran out, but concern about developing more capacity for leadership in tomorrow’s schools remains.
Another useful resource was developed by the District Management Council , a membership network of public school leaders, and includes guidelines for succession planning dubbed The 8-Step DMC Succession Planning Process. Their process includes: (1) Setting the Stage; (2) Planning for the Future; (3) Assessing Current Leadership Requirements; (4) Conducting Effective Evaluations; (5) Assessing Leaders’ Mobility; (6) Developing Leaders to Fill the Gap; (7) Creating Individual Transition Plans; and (8) Assessing Your Program.
Succession planning requires time and investment. One of the downsides is that all participants may not get placed in leadership roles. Bass points out that she has to continually remind GOAL participants that completing the program does not guarantee them a leadership position. Human resource leaders involved in organizational succession planning often note that one of the touchy issues is managing expectations carefully.
But the Frisco and Rockwall ISD programs both demonstrate the potential for a big pay-off for districts. As Bass sums it up, “For Frisco, the return on our investment in GOAL has been well worth it.”
