New Research: Schools with Disadvantaged Students Have Lower-Quality Principals

The Tennessee Education Research Alliance conducted a study recently that found schools with the highest numbers of disadvantaged students also had the least experienced, lowest-rated principals.

The research was the second part of a series on effective school leadership. The first brief found:

• Students achieved more in schools with higher principal ratings.
• Highly rated principals enjoy more positive teacher perceptions of school leadership and climate.
• Highly rated principals retain a greater number of effective teachers.

The second brief found:

• More experienced and higher-rated principals are concentrated in schools with fewer students in poverty, low-achieving students, and students of color.
• Hiring and turnover drive inequities in principal quality across the state.
  • Schools with higher proportions of students in poverty, low-achieving students, and students of color are more likely to hire inexperienced or ineffective principals and to experience greater principal turnover.

For more information, check out this article from Education Week or the original research brief.