Principal turnover is common: 18% of principals leave schools each year and half of new principals leave within three years, with cascading consequences¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2022 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2027: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? The brief reports that 18% of principals leave schools each year and half of new principals leave within three years, and that turnover has cascading consequences including teacher turnover and disruption of school environments and student achievement. → The Education Trust 2022 q2 i? The brief states these turnover challenges are exacerbated at schools with fewer resources, leading to higher than average principal turnover rates. → The Education Trust 2022

Evidence¶

The Education Trust 2022¶

The Education Trust. (2022). 5 Things State and District Leaders Can Do to Advance Strong and Diverse School Leadership. EdTrust.org. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED626435

q2 · i? · review · r2

Descriptive turnover statistics presented in section 5 of the brief, attributed in endnotes 28-29 to Education Week and Learning Policy Institute reports. The brief prints no effect sizes for the cascading consequences.

"Principal turnover is common across the country:28 18% of principals leave schools each year, and half of new principals leave within three years. Principal turnover has cascading consequences, such as teacher turnover and disruption of school environments and student achievement."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Principal turnover is high in CPS, with nearly half of principals in their first four-year contract at any given time — related
• Principal turnover often has negative effects on student achievement, teacher retention, and school culture unless a much more effective principal replaces the prior one — related
• A leaky pipeline limits the residency program's district benefits: only about half of completers became CPS principals within four years, at roughly $535,000 cost per new principal — related
• Principal turnover is associated with lower student achievement, worse climate, and higher teacher attrition, with effects lasting up to 5 years — related
• High teacher turnover rates may be costly to school districts, disrupt operations, and lower student achievement — related
• Teacher turnover costs districts billions annually and harms student achievement — related
• Merit award winners were nearly three times as likely to leave their school the following year (16.9% vs 5.9%), mostly leaving the district — related