Background

Challenges of Administrator Turnover in Schools

---

Finding and retaining effective school administrators is an ongoing challenge across public, charter, and private schools, significantly impacting school operations, culture, and programming (Drucker et al., 2018; Ledesma, 2012; Levin & Bradley, 2019). Administrator turnover, often referred to as “churn,” is particularly disruptive in educational settings where consistent leadership is essential for success.

Recent studies show that public schools experience an average turnover rate of about 20% annually, with administrators often staying in their roles for around four years (Levin & Bradley, 2019). A similar challenge is faced by Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) schools, where the average tenure for school leaders is just 2.5 years—significantly shorter than in public schools (Ledesma, 2012). Notably, a recent survey found that nearly half of SDA teaching principals, along with over one-third of principals, expect to leave their roles within the next three years (Bainum, 2024).

“Seventh-day Adventist principals, head teachers, and other school leaders are overworked, stressed, undercompensated, and undervalued, leading to an unbalanced life.”
— Nielsen (2020)

Factors Contributing to Administrator Turnover

---

School administrators, in both public and private schools, often face a range of challenges that may contribute to them leaving their positions. Research identifies several key factors contributing to turnover, with lack of pre-service training and inadequate on-the-job support cited as the primary reasons (Bainum, 2024; Levin & Bradley, 2019; Levin et al., 2019; Mendels, 2017; Snodgrass Rangel, 2017; Vaisben, 2018). These factors include:

• Lack of pre-service training
• Inadequate on-the-job support
• School climate and working conditions
• Compensation (salary and benefits)
• Autonomy and decision-making authority
• Role expectations and accountability

Although research on turnover specifically among Adventist school administrators is limited, a recent survey of Adventist education leaders and reflections from Arne Nielsen (2020) suggest that work-life balance is also a key factor.

Many Adventist school leaders are promoted from teaching positions without administrative experience or formal training.

Additionally, often Adventist school leaders are promoted from teaching positions without administrative experience or formal training, which may contribute to the challenges they face in their roles. A star teacher doesn’t always shine as a leader.

With firsthand experience in Adventist education, I was particularly invested in understanding the challenges faced by Adventist school leaders and exploring the factors that impact leadership stability and the long-term success of these institutions, ultimately leading to recommendations for addressing these challenges.