School & District Management Video

The Enemy of Smart, Strategic Spending Decisions in K-12 Districts: Leadership Churn

By Sean Cavanagh & CJ Riculan — December 11, 2025 2:58
The Enemy of Smart, Strategic Spending Decisions in K-12 Districts: Leadership Churn

Many school districts struggle to think beyond immediate needs—the latest batch of test scores, the ongoing budget crunch—when crafting spending plans. A new EdWeek Research Center survey and reporting project, supported by the Gates Foundation, looks at the factors that undermine long-term goal-setting and execution.

In this video, EdWeek Managing Editor Sean Cavanagh talks about how turnover in district leadership—not just superintendents but also members of their administrative cabinets—can compromise the purchasing process. When influential leaders leave districts, their institutional knowledge and strategic thinking often go with them.

Sean Cavanagh is the Managing Editor of Education Week.
CJ Riculan is a contributing video producer for Education Week.

Coverage of strategic resourcing to support teaching and learning goals for Education Week and EdWeek Market Brief is supported in part by a grant from the Gates Foundation, at www.gatesfoundation.org. Our editors retain sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

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