As school leaders, principals have responsibilities related to teachers, staff, families, and students. It’s a complex job that can be filled with both joy and frustration. And needless to say, the ongoing pandemic has made it even more complicated.
But how much influence do principals actually have on school policies, procedures, and overall climate? The short answer is A LOT!
One study done by the National Center for Educational Statistics finds that principals play a major role in almost every key area — from discipline to curriculum to learning formats to hiring effective staff. They can even have a significant impact on the social-emotional well-being of their communities.
The article also points out that research by the Wallace Foundation estimates replacing a below-average elementary school principal (25th percentile of effectiveness) with an above-average principal (75th percentile) would result in “an additional 2.9 months of learning for math and 2.7 months for reading each year for students in that school.” The research also found that the impact on student achievement of having an effective principal is nearly as significant as the impact of having a similarly effective teacher.