More than 20 percent of Kansas’ school districts, including some of the larger districts will have new superintendents this fall.

Dale Dennis, deputy education commissioner of Kansas, said 61 Kansas school districts, including Topeka, Olathe, Lawrence and Manhattan, have new leaders this year.  Some veteran superintendents in rural districts are also going elsewhere.

The departures follow at least two straight years of record-breaking turnover, which Dennis and others said has taken a toll on districts and the state.

The Wichita Eagle reports that the average tenure for a superintendent in Kansas is about five years.

The Kansas Association of School Superintendents recently stepped up its efforts to mentor superintendents, pairing veteran or retired leaders with new ones and hosting a monthly “Phone a Friend” video conference to share strategies.