Why Principals Matter: Exploring The Research On School Leadership. School Leadership Brief_18P429_digital_FINAL | Page 9

In Tennessee, nearly a third of
principals leave their schools by the
end of their third year, and seven
percent of principals leave the
profession altogether each year. 19
Nationally, as many as one-fifth of
new principals leave the job after
one or two years. Many of those
principals who left were working in
schools where student achievement
declined after their first year on the
job. 20 Other principals left due to
stress, high time demands, or feelings
of isolation. 21
These findings suggest that new
principals are placed in leadership
positions they are not prepared to
take on or are not given appropriate
support to be successful in their
first years on the job. This kind of
turnover can often be harmful to
both students and teachers. Principal
turnover is associated with declines
in student achievement, low teacher
morale, and interruption in the
implementation of school reforms. 22
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