NAESP Releases New Report on the Principalship

Alexandria, Va. Social-emotional learning, mental health, and student poverty are among the top student-related concerns of Pre-K through grade 8 principals, according to The Pre-K-8 School Leader in 2018: A 10-Year Study. The new study is the ninth in a series published by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Since 1928, NAESP has reviewed the trends and working conditions of principal leadership, as well as their impact on the students and the entire school community.

“School principals set the tone for everything from school climate to school improvement. That is why we need to know more about their experiences,” said NAESP Executive Director Dr. L. Earl Franks, CAE. “It’s essential that policymakers focus on what principals identify as their leaning needs, and then support them with associated professional learning opportunities.”  

The study reviews data in 10 areas, including: 

  • Experience and professional preparation; 
  • Accountability and decision-making; 
  • Conditions of employment; 
  • Professional learning needs; and 
  • Future career intentions. 

NAESP partnered with the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) to develop this resource. “The quality of education a student experiences in elementary school greatly impacts their education and life trajectory, and research has demonstrated that educational leaders strongly shape the conditions for high-quality teaching and learning,” said UCEA Executive Director Michelle Young. “The NAESP 10-year study provides a portrait of these critical educational professionals, their concerns, their triumphs and key considerations for educational stakeholders. It not only provides vivid insight into the work of contemporary elementary school leaders, but it also identifies multiple avenues for future research.”

“Recent research has shown that 20 percent of principals leave their positions each year, with almost 30 percent of principals in high-poverty schools leaving each year. In fact, the average school tenure of a principal is less than five years,” said Ed Fuller, who is UCEA Associate Director for Policy and one of the report authors. “This high rate of churn has negative effects on both teachers and students as well as costs districts a substantial amount of money. Some emerging research suggests that the working conditions of principals substantially affects their decisions to stay in a school. Moreover, working conditions appear to also affect their effectiveness on the job. Thus, understanding how to better support principals in the important work they do is critical to improving schools.”

Responses to the 2018 NAESP 10-year study identify multiple areas of professional development need, including improving student performance, improving staff performance, understanding and applying technology, time management, using social media effectively, and school improvement planning.

Read the full report here.

Featured

  • University of Connecticut Upgrades Basketball Facility’s AV Systems

    The University of Connecticut recently partnered with Metinteractive to upgrade the AV systems of the Gampel Pavilion basketball facility on its campus in Mansfield, Conn., according to a news release.

  • Texas A&M Adds ALPR Technology to Parking Solutions

    Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, recently integrated automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology into its parking services and enforcement strategies, according to a news release. The university’s Transportation Services division deployed Genetec AutoVu ALPR to manage the campus’ 36,000+ parking spaces.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2025 New Product Awards

    Spaces4Learning is now accepting entries for the 2025 New Product Awards! The program’s goal is to honor the outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products and services are particularly noteworthy in helping to improve K–12 and Higher Education learning environments.

  • Illinois Elementary School Breaks Ground on Campus Expansion

    Heather Hill Elementary School, part of Flossmoor School District 161 in Palatine, Ill., recently broke ground on a new addition to the school focused on student support and security, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers for the expansion as part of a longer-term facility planning and modernization initiative.

Digital Edition