Supporting a Strong, Stable Principal Workforce: What Matters and What Can Be Done

The importance of school principals, reasons they leave, and policy implications for principal retention and effectiveness are explained in this report, the third in a series conducted by the Learning Policy Institute and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

The first publication, which presents findings from a literature review, covers the known scope of the principal turnover problem and provides a basis for understanding its mechanisms. The second report offers insights from focus groups of school leaders who shared their experiences and expertise on the challenges of the principalship, as well as strategies to address these challenges. The third and fourth publications (a report and associated brief) summarize results from LPI and NASSP’s national principal survey and focus groups, which delve deeply into the five focus areas that emerged from the initial research and suggests policy strategies to increase principal retention.