Abstract
Through a mixed-method, sequential-explanatory study, perceptions of succession planning were researched in four school districts in the State of Florida. The study was conducted in two phases. For the quantitative phase, 99 participants responded to an online survey. The survey contained 44 items in five categories: (a) demographic information, (b) identification of talent, (c) development and mentoring, (d) retention of talent, and (e) organizational culture. The categories were created based on scholarly research. Results were analyzed using SPSS, and separate MANOVAs found there were no statistically significant differences among independent variables: (a) age range, (b) position, (c) school district, (d) school level, and (e) years of experience. The respondents indicated input, development, and review of a succession plan were conducted infrequently. According to respondents, opportunities for development and a clear list of the requisite qualifications for administrative positions occurred frequently. Based on the quantitative survey answers, 12 interview questions were developed for the qualitative phase of the study. A total of 11 individuals participated in the follow-up interviews comprising a collective case study. The qualitative findings included five major themes pertaining to succession planning: (a) culture, including a lack of consideration and politics; (b) mentoring, and the importance of informal mentoring; (c) situational input, in which a person was provided an opportunity for input, with no guarantee of the final result; (d) job complexity and a lack of resources, and (e) a lack of input from various stakeholders. The complete findings may be used by school districts to create and revise succession plans, by using multiple measures to identify candidates, provide targeted and specific development and mentoring opportunities, and retain the highest performing employees, all while honoring the unique organizational culture.