PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania school principals are leaving their jobs at a faster rate than ever, according to a Penn State study released last month.
The report found more than 15% of Pennsylvania principals left their jobs headed into the last school year — up more than 4% from the year before. In Philadelphia during that time, 22% of principals left their schools; 16% left the district altogether.
Numbers for the upcoming school year are not yet available.
One way the School District of Philadelphia is trying to increase stability is by ensuring its principals are well-prepared. It has launched several programs in recent years to train potential principals and support them once they are on the job.
“We need to look at our principals like CEOs,” said Chief Learning Officer Dr. Michael Farrell. “They’re not middle managers. They have, as I said, a significant impact on schools and communities. So we believe that leadership coaching is essential.”
Through the programs, first-year principals are assigned “leadership coaches” who help them navigate instructional and operational issues that may crop up.
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“It is predictable that the unpredictable will happen on a daily basis for them,” Farrell added. “It’s something we really talk to them about in their summer onboarding experience.”
The district provides scholarships to help educators get certified to become assistant principals. There’s also an aspiring principals academy and a residency program pairing assistant principals with experienced principals for the year.
Thanks to these pipeline programs, Farrell said more first-year principals have actually started as assistant principals in the district.
“Seven years ago, it was close to 45%. Over the last few years, it’s been well over 90%.”
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