How Principals Drive School Success

This brief is the first in a series aimed at building our knowledge on what we know about effective school leadership. Specifically, this brief explores the relationship between principal observation ratings and student outcomes in Tennessee.

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Published:
May 2018

Author:
Alyssa Blanchard

Key Findings

  • The practice ratings that Tennessee principals are given as part of the evaluation system predict growth in student achievement. In other words, student gains are higher in schools where principal leadership is rated more positively. 

  • Highly rated principals enjoy more positive teacher perceptions of school leadership and climate.

  • Highly rated principals retain effective teachers at higher rates.

Methods

This study used data from the first four years of Tennessee's newest teacher evaluation system, called TEAM. Researchers looked at principal practice ratings from TEAM and performed a regression analysis to assess how other measures of school success change according to the principal practice rating. 

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Alyssa Blanchard

Alyssa Blanchard

Alyssa Blanchard is a Research Analyst at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research.

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Jason A. Grissom

Jason A. Grissom

Jason A. Grissom is Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor of Public Policy and Education at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College and faculty director of the Tennessee Education Research Alliance.

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