Sustaining & Supporting Principals: Implications of CCOSA Principal Survey 2020

Glen Abshere, OAESP Executive Director & William D. Parker, OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director

Every principal remembers the thrill and the anxiety involved in the start of a new school year. This year is no exception, especially with the added measures of re-opening during a pandemic. But stress and anxiety for school leaders is not a new phenomenon.

Before the pandemic began shutting down schools, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and Learning Policy Institute (LPI) had been surveying principals across the nation on what trends were influencing principal turnover and sustainability. On May 14, 2020, they shared joint findings through the report Supporting a Strong, Stable Principal Workforce: What Matters and What Can Be Done.

According to their findings, 42 percent of surveyed principals indicated they were considering leaving their position. The percentage of principals planning to move to a different school was higher for those in high-poverty schools and rural communities.

After reviewing those findings, the Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principals (OAESP), the Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals (OASSP), and the Oklahoma Middle Level Education Association (OMLEA) shared a follow-up survey with Oklahoma principals with questions specific to Oklahoma principal sustainability called the CCOSA Principal Survey. The survey link was sent to Oklahoma principals via Constant Contact email service, and participants responded voluntarily.

Among the 338 survey respondents to CCOSA’s Principal Survey, 213 (or 63%) were principals from rural communities, 96 (or 28%) were principals from suburban communities, and 29 (or 9%) were principals from urban communities.

Notable Results

The purpose of the Oklahoma Principal Survey was to see how Oklahoma principals responded to some of the same questions in the national survey by NASSP and LPI. The national survey showed the following factors contributing to principal turnover:

Principals in the Oklahoma survey results shared concerns over working conditions, although slightly lower than the national survey. For instance, 44 percent of principals in the national survey and 33 percent of principals in the state survey agreed that his/her heavy workloads and job complexity are influencing them to leave the profession. In addition, 25 percent of national principals and 21 percent of statewide principals indicated considerations of leaving because of High Stakes Accountability requirements. Lack of Decision- Making Authority ranked 16 percent nationally and 11 percent statewide as reasons for turnover.

• Working Conditions

• Compensation and Financial Obligations

• High-Stakes Accountability Systems and Evaluation Practices

• Lack of Decision-Making Authority

Takeaways for New Admins

Serving as a principal is a hard job but also extremely rewarding. The data from both surveys show the need for supporting early career principals and ongoing professional development for veteran administrators. Additional research detailing the need for support of early career principals can be found among several other sources (Liang & Augstine-Shaw, 2016; Bravender & Staub, 2018; Syed, 2015; Spiro, Mattis, & Mitgang, 2007; Jones, 2003; Newcomb, 2011; Lashway, 2003; Healy & Welchert, 1990; Levin, Scott, Yang; and Leung & Bradley, 2020).

New Principals Academy

CCOSA’s mission has been to support principals in all phases of their career with training and support in the field. CCOSA offers annual training for new principals through the CCOSA New Principals Academy. This year’s New Principals Academy includes four training dates and one advocacy experience. Sessions are facilitated by OAESP Executive Director Glen Abshere and OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director Will Parker.

This semester of learning will be provided in live virtual meetings and will include interactive/guided discussions, guest presentations from experienced education leaders, and time for grade-level focus groups. In the spring, participants will be also invited to a legislative advocacy experience. Here’s a summary of session topics:

Session 1 - September 17, 2020

• Establishing and Assessing a Healthy School Culture

• Leading a School during a Pandemic

• Understanding the Principal’s Role in the State Accreditation Process

• Handling School Activity Funds

• Guest Speakers – Practices for School Culture from an Elementary and Secondary Perspective

Session 2 - October 22, 2020

• Understanding the Principal’s Role in Instructional Leadership

• Understanding Blended/Virtual Framework

• Learning to Balance Priorities

• Implementing Educational Leader Self-Care

• Guest Speakers – Principal’s Role in Instructional Leadership from an Elementary and Secondary Perspective

Session 3 - November 19, 2020

• The Principal’s Role in Special Education

• Working Through Behavior and Discipline Issues

• Guest Speakers – Supporting Social-Emotional Needs of All Learners and Behaviorally Challenged Students

Session 4 - December 14, 2020

• Guest Speaker: Understanding School Security and Safety including Bully Prevention

• Safety Drill Reporting, and Behavioral Threat Assessments

• Managing Communication During a Crisis

• Guest Speakers: Running Effective Meetings; Hiring and Supporting Staff; Giving Constructive Feedback: Conflict Management with Parents, Students, and Staff

More than ever, principals need strong relationships with other education leaders and ongoing learning to sustain their important work. If you are an early-career administrator or a veteran leader looking for ongoing professional development, you will find opportunities throughout this school year for collaboration through webinars, trainings or conferences.

In addition, the directors of OAESP, OASSP, and OMLEA are available to provide personalized coaching for principals via electronic conferencing. Contact us for more details on professional learning for new principals or principal consultations and coaching.

Glen Abshere, OAESP Executive Director: abshere@ccosa.org

William D. Parker, OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director: parker@ccosa.org