We tend to think that the longer someone works in a role, the better they become. This is an easy idea to make for teachers—don’t we all remember that dramatic growth in skills from our first to second year of teaching? Experience is also seen as an important factor in school leadership. We expect that as principals gain more experience, they should be better at leading schools, improving both student outcomes and teacher retention. But what if it’s not always the case? New research challenges this assumption, suggesting that more experiences don’t always translate to improved school performance.
A principal’s experience does not increase school performance
A comprehensive study by Brendan Bartanen and his colleagues examined whether school principals improve with knowledge and, in turn, whether their schools benefit from their increased knowledge. Surprisingly, their research found little evidence that student outcomes or teacher retention rates improve as principals gain more experience. Although principals receive better ratings from their superiors over time, this does not necessarily translate into measurable improvement in their schools.
A key finding from Bartanen et al. (2024):
- Student results remain static. The study found no significant improvement in student test scores or attendance rates as principals gained experience, challenging the notion that principals with more experience naturally lead to better academic outcomes.
- Teacher retention is not increasing. There is also no clear evidence that experienced principals are better at retaining teachers. In some cases, teachers’ earnings rose slightly with principal experience.
- Manager ratings are improving, but teacher ratings are declining. Although principals received higher ratings from their supervisors as they gained experience, teachers tended to rate their principals lower over time, especially those who were not employed by the principal.
- Experience does not improve hiring practices. Principals did not show much improvement in hiring effective teachers as they gained experience. In fact, they often hired less experienced teachers over time.
Can we trust this research?
Not all research is equal! Here’s what our We Are Teachers “Malarkey Meter” says about this book based on four key points.
- Peer reviewed? Yes! This study has gone through a rigorous peer review process. I’m sure there were many rounds of back and forth!
- Sample size: The study used large-scale panel data from Tennessee, New York City, and Oregon, covering thousands of schools and principals. The large sample size bolsters the reliability of the findings—at first, I doubted it was US-wide, but it is!
- Reliable sources: The researchers involved (Brendan Bartanen, David D. Liebowitz, and Laura K. Rogers) are established in the field of educational leadership and policy with approximately 2,500 citations. The study was published in the most respected educational journal, the American Educational Research Journal. Many researchers dream of being published in AERJ!
- How to do it: The study used advanced statistical techniques, within fixed effects models, to analyze how knowledge affects school outcomes over time. Basically they compared the performance of each principal in different areas of work, distinguishing the effects of experience and avoiding influences from other principals or schools. The study noted that measuring certain core competencies, such as directly influencing teacher and student outcomes, was particularly challenging. The researchers did their best with the data they had!
What does this mean for teachers?
Laura Rogers gave this quote to the We Are Teachers group:
Research shows that teachers become better as they gain knowledge about their jobs. Their students benefit greatly. We do not observe the same relationship of principals. As principals gain years of experience, principal evaluation ratings rise, but we don’t see that return in improved school outcomes such as teacher retention or student achievement.
This is not to say that principals do not improve in other areas or that they do not have an important role—they do. But there seems to be a disconnect somewhere. For teachers, the stability and improvement expected by the principal’s experience may not always increase school performance. Until we better support principals, high principal turnover—and high teacher turnover—may remain an ongoing problem, Rogers noted. This highlights the importance of promoting better support systems not only for teachers but also for school leaders.
Ultimately, this research gives us a lot to chew on. If you thought that your seasoned, “good ole boy” principal down the road ensured the school’s success, think again. While we appreciate the effort and experience that principals bring, this study shows that longevity does not mean efficiency. Schools need leaders who continue to adapt, grow, and innovate. So while knowledge is important, it’s clear that like our students, principals could benefit from a little homework.
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