The Impacts of Principal Turnover

Abstract

Nationally, 18% of principals turn over each year, yet research has not yet credibly established the effects of this turnover on student and teacher outcomes. Using statewide data from Missouri and Tennessee, we employ a difference-in-differences model with a matched comparison group to estimate arguably causal effects. We find that principal turnover lowers school achievement by .03 SD in the next year, on average. Effects vary by transition type, with larger negative effects for transfers to other schools but no or even positive later effects of demotions of (presumably lower-performing) principals. Principal turnover also increases teacher turnover, but this does not explain the drop in student achievement. Replacement with an experienced successor can largely offset negative principal turnover effects.

Getting Tough? The Effects of Discretionary Principal Discipline on Student Outcomes

“…Figures A3a-d shows no apparent trends in either reported disciplinary incidents or student achievement correlated with timing of principal turnover. 21 Figures A4a-d focus on estimated trends around specific transitions from more lenient principals to more severe principals, and 21 This may seem contradictory to recent evidence from Bartanen, Grissom, and Rogers (2019) and Henry and Harbatkin (2019), which both find that school achievement drops in the year directly following principal turnover. This discrepancy could arise due to modeling differences: for example, Bartanen et al compare schools with principal turnover to a matched sample of no-turnover schools, whereas we observe within-school trends over time.…”

Turnover Intention and Its Associated Factors Among Health Extension Workers in Illubabora Zone, South West Ethiopia

“… 7 The first negative results of worker turnover are the doubtlessly high cost related with replacing a departed employee. 8 The costs associated with recruiting, selecting, and training new employees are always very high, 9 so companies always want to increase their professional employees’ commitment and their knowledgeable employees’ retention. The second impactful negative effects of employee turnover are the disruption of organizational function, such as decreased performance and unfulfilled daily function.…”

Your Pay or Someone Else's? Exploring Salary Dispersion, Position, and Principal Turnover

“…There is little doubt that principals act as a core stabilizing agent for student, teacher, and school bonds. Research consistently demonstrates that, while often indirect, principals exert significant influence on student achievement and success (Leithwood, Harris, and Hopkins 2008;Dhuey and Smith 2014;Coelli and Green 2012;Grissom and Loeb 2011;Grissom, Loeb, and Master 2013;Bartanen, Grissom, and Rogers 2019), school climate (Leithwood, Harris, and Hopkins 2008;Eshbach and Henderson 2010;Black 2010), workplace morale (Boyd et al 2011;Dou, Devos, and Valcke 2016;Sterrett and Irizarry 2015), and teacher retention (Grissom and Bartanen 2018;Grissom 2011;Player et al 2017). At an organizational level, the principal acts as a key facilitator of social features such as agency, trust, and access ( Fuller and Hollingworth 2014).…”

“…Given the broad influence a principal has on school and student success (Leithwood, Harris, and Hopkins 2008), high rates of principal turnover can negatively affect the achievement and wellbeing of students, as well as the morale and dedication of teachers (Béteille, Kalogrides, and Loeb 2012;Sterrett and Irizarry 2015;Bartanen, Grissom, and Rogers 2019;Kraft, Marinell, and Shen-Wei Yee 2016). Despite a growing body of literature documenting the features that lead to principal dissatisfaction and turnover (Rangel 2017), few studies have sought to understand how policy-level mechanisms may reduce dissatisfaction and thereby reduce high rates of turnover.…”