The shortage of principals is a subject often discussed. As more baby boomer principals plan for retirement and as the job of principals becomes more demanding and complex, the question that keeps being asked is who will replace outgoing principals. Superintendents and principals weigh in on this very important issue in an article in Edutopia magazine.
The article references past studies about the principal shortage, including one commissioned by NAESP and NASSP in 1998, and a more recent one by the Northeast Regional Elementary School Principals' Council, which found that more than 36 percent of principals in nine northeastern states plan to retire within the next five years.
The article also looks at how some school districts are getting creative in their effort to fill principal positions, including mentoring programs for aspiring principals. (Although not mentioned in the article, NAESP offers the PALS (Peer Assisted Leadership Services) program, which trains experienced school leaders to mentor new and aspiring principals.)
In the Edutopia article, California superintendent Paul Mercier says the bottom line is that principals must be trained, and feel supported and part of a team. “A superintendent must create a culture that is all about solving problems together,” says Mercier. “The single most important thing we can do to bring in and support new principals is make sure that they don't feel they’re out there all by themselves.”
