Keys to Supporting School Leaders

            In this article in The Learning Professional, Massachusetts assistant superintendent Ayesha Farag reports that 20 percent of U.S. principals leave their schools each year, and the average tenure for principals is four years. How can principal supervisors (Farag works with 15 elementary school leaders) support and sustain their colleagues to change these troubling statistics? She believes the key variables are a supportive district ecosystem, aligned values and vision, regular collaboration (including frequent school visits and check-in meetings), and opportunities for continuous professional learning. 

            Farag suggests surveying principals on questions like those below and using the responses to guide districts on providing effective support and creating conditions for success and stamina: 

• What district processes and structures will best support you in your role as a principal? 
• How can your supervisor best support your work? 
• What should trust and transparency look like in the district? 
• What role should principals play in district decision-making? 
• To what extent do you feel that districtwide decisions and policies reflect and promote shared values, and in what ways can alignment be improved? 
• What is the driving force behind your work as a principal? What intrinsic “why” motivates your daily efforts, and how does it show up in your leadership? 
• What will best support your ongoing learning and growth as a principal? 
• What specific skills or areas of expertise would you most like to develop further? How do you imagine doing so would enhance your leadership? 

“How Can We Sustain and Retain Principals?” by Ayesha Farag in The Learning Professional, February 2024 (Vol. 45, #1, pp. 12-15); Farag can be reached at faraga@newton.k12.ma.us.

Please Note: This summary is reprinted with permission from issue #1025 of The Marshall Memo, an excellent resource for educators.