Persistent Difficulty Attracting Strong Principals To Challenging Schools
Incentives and Ongoing Supports Needed To Address Crisis

The Governor's Principals’ Task Force strongly recommended principal incentives to attract and keep outstanding principals in challenging schools. Studies by Advocates for Children and Youth have shown that low-performing schools suffer from rampant principal turnover. The task force recommendation reinforces the findings of a recent survey organized by the Governor in which a majority of principals said that they have too little time to focus on instructional leadership

Challenging schools in Maryland are suffering from startling turnover in principals and are relying on replacements that do not have a track record of success, according to studies by Advocates for Children and Youth. This demonstrates the urgent need for recruitment incentives and ongoing supports to attract and keep strong instructional leaders in the most hard-to-staff schools. One analysis found that only 3 of 48 newly appointed principals in Baltimore City had previous track records in improving achievement. For the study, click here. A second study found that challenging schools in five jurisdictions were experiencing high principal turnover. For the results from each jurisdiction: Anne Arundel; Baltimore City; Baltimore County; Prince George’s; and Montgomery.

The studies recommend financial and other incentives to attract proven principals to the most challenging schools, strengthening preparation programs for new principals and intensifying the support that new principals receive during their first years on the job. The Governor and State Superintendent have agreed to prioritize addressing this critical issue. Studies have consistently confirmed the importance of principals in improving student achievement. However, it often takes several years for a principal to turn around a failing school. Thus, students in these schools are significantly disadvantaged if a principal remains for only a year or two. This is compounded with principals who have not shown success as instructional leaders in similarly difficult schools.

As a candidate, Governor O’Malley proposed significant bonuses for principals with proven track records to come to challenging schools. He suggested incentives of $200,000 over four years for principals at 200 failing schools across the State. This would be the most ambitious initiative in the country and is consistent with research suggesting that financial incentives need to be significant if they are to work. This idea complements other efforts, like New Leaders for New Schools, to improve instructional leadership. It also addresses a study by the Center for Education Policy showing that previous efforts in Maryland have not helped failing schools.

Prince George’s County Public Schools received a federal grant to provide $12,500 in incentives to certain principals. Other school districts in the country are using financial incentives, including New York City, which is offering bonuses up to $25,000, Pittsburgh and Houston.