Assistant principals play an important role in 海角直播 (CPS) and are valuable to schools of all types. These leaders help share the administrative responsibilities of running a school, serve as valuable confidants to principals who would otherwise feel alone in their roles, and 鈥� in many cases 鈥� step into their principals鈥� shoes when they retire or move to another role. From 2016-17 through 2022-23, 155 of the 453 new principals selected in CPS (34%) were assistant principals promoted within the same school.聽

Because we see the value assistant principals offer to schools, The 海角直播Principals and Administrators Association (CPAA) and The 海角直播 have long advocated for every school to have the option and financial flexibility to have at least one assistant principal. Using local and state data, and direct testimony from CPS principals, both of our organizations stressed to CPS the positive impact assistant principals have on schools and their vital role in improving principal satisfaction and retention.聽聽

For 2024-25, CPS developed a new budget framework that identifies a base level of resources for all schools, regardless of enrollment. Critically, an assistant principal position was included in this resource base. This means that every school in the district has the ability to have an assistant principal (through what is called 鈥渇oundational鈥� funding) rather than having to divert money from other priorities in their budgets. As a result, the number of assistant principals in district-operated schools climbed to 651 in 2024-25, up from 618 in 2023-24 and 612 in 2022-23. A number of schools, including Hendricks Elementary, were able to hire assistant principals for the first time in several years.

Source: 海角直播; Employee Position Files, March 31

Upon learning she could hire an assistant principal, Anika set high expectations for the position. She was looking for 鈥渁 partner for the work, someone willing to take on responsibility and hit the ground running, and someone who complements [her] traits.鈥� Anika had trouble finding a candidate who met this high bar and fit with her leadership style, until Robin Tolbert鈥檚 application hit her desk. With over 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher and interventionist, Robin wasn鈥檛 initially sure that being an assistant principal was the right fit for her. However, when she interviewed for the job at Hendricks, she felt an immediate connection with Anika and the school and accepted the position.聽

Robin immediately jumped in and supported Anika鈥檚 instructional leadership in the school while beginning to build relationships with the faculty and students. 鈥淚n my last school, I was there for 20 years, so that trust builds naturally over time,鈥� Robin said. 鈥淏eginning to build those relationships was the No. 1 thing I wanted to focus on this year, so I could start to make an impact.鈥� Anika strongly agrees that Robin is an excellent fit for Hendricks: 鈥淭his was a match made in heaven. Robin checked all the boxes.鈥�

Across Chicago, public schools like Hendricks have proven the utility of assistant principals, regardless of their student enrollment. 鈥淓ven at a small school, there鈥檚 still always something else that has to be taken care of,鈥� Robin said. Anika agreed: 鈥淗aving Robin this year made me think, 鈥榶ou were doing this all by yourself?鈥欌��

Even putting aside the actual workload, principals benefit from another administrator as a thought partner and confidant. 鈥淭his can be a very lonely job,鈥� Anika shared. 鈥淢any aspects of my job are not things I can talk to somebody else about. Having a partner, someone to talk about what鈥檚 going on, is so important.鈥�

As CPS faces a potential 2026 budget deficit of over half a billion dollars, many recent district investments could be at risk to balance the books. For many smaller schools like Hendricks, the foundational assistant principal position is integral for leaders needing extra support. Many principals believe ending central funding for assistant principals would severely harm their schools. Anika worries about what priorities would suffer if she didn鈥檛 have Robin鈥檚 support: 鈥淎 lot of things fell off the table when I was by myself. This position needs to be here to stay.鈥�

The article was developed in partnership with CPAA. It is also available on .

For another example of the importance of assistant principals in CPS, read 鈥�Why Every School Needs an Assistant Principal: Danielle Pearse Is a Partner in Leadership,鈥� also on our blog.

The EAC is a group of around 30 principals and assistant principals (APs) that we convene throughout each school year. They provide feedback on the work we do to support their fellow school leaders. For the first time, the members of last year鈥檚 EAC used their shared experiences to generate recommendations for policy changes to address staff shortages in CPS. The shift away from student-based budgeting provided a relevant topic for the second year of the EAC鈥檚 policy work.

This year, the EAC had the advantage of the prior year鈥檚 experience with its policy development process, allowing the group to start its work more quickly. However, with CPS鈥� budget office already working on putting together next year鈥檚 school budgets, the window for having the EAC鈥檚 recommendations taken into account for the coming year鈥檚 budget process was short. To meet this timeline, the EAC condensed its process into just a few months, with the goal of presenting a completed memo listing its recommendations to CPS leadership in early March.

As they did in 2024, EAC members began the process by sharing their experiences, detailing the high and low points of their work with the new budget framework. These conversations revealed unfamiliarity and frustration with certain aspects of the CPS鈥� budget framework, leading to recommendations that focused on transparency and flexibility around foundation positions (those that are funded by the district for every school) and the Opportunity Index (a formula that directs resources to schools that are the furthest from opportunity). Through a number of conversations, we and EAC members refined their recommendations into a memo, which we shared with the CPS Office of Finance.

For its March 6 session, the EAC welcomed CPS Chief Budget Officer Michael Sitkowski, along with staff from the Office of Finance, to present their budget memo and engage in conversation with the district鈥檚 budget leaders. The EAC鈥檚 co-chairs, along with other members, supported their presentation by providing context from their own schools, sharing the experiences that led to the recommendations. CPS staff provided more detail on aspects of the district鈥檚 budget process and expressed appreciation for the recommendations to ensure principals are more involved in developing this process.聽

The EAC members at this session found it to be a valuable experience. The principals and APs shared that, while the upcoming budget season will still be challenging, they appreciated the opportunity to meet with district leaders and share their experiences directly. The EAC will continue to support CPS through the budget process by providing dedicated sessions for sharing effective budgeting practices in the coming months.

The EAC鈥檚 policy development process once again shows the value of elevating school leader voices 鈥� to both the school leaders themselves and to the district as a whole. In a system where principal autonomy has led to major advances in student achievement, it is critical to uplift the experiences of the leaders who shape student learning in over 600 school communities across Chicago.

Testimony Delivered to the 海角直播Board of Education on March 5, 2025

Good morning.

I am Mariel Laureano, a director at The 海角直播, an organization that provides leadership development programming to over 350 海角直播school leaders.

As a former principal, I know firsthand the importance, responsibility, and challenges of managing a school budget.

This is a difficult task in a district that is only funded at 79% adequacy 鈥� 79% adequacy!

And yet, this board is being asked to approve a $175 million pension payment that CPS is not legally obligated to pay. That one choice will prevent CPS from having enough revenue to cover the new teacher鈥檚 contract. We understand that borrowing now is not an option.

I served through CPS鈥� last financial crisis. For 10 years, I led Prieto Math and Science Academy, a dual-language neighborhood elementary school in Belmont Cragin. Between 2014 and 2017, CPS ran consecutive budget deficits of over $1 billion 鈥� just like the projected shortfalls in CPS鈥� five-year outlook today.

I saw firsthand what that meant in schools like mine: impactful staff cuts, loss of student supports, and frustrated parents.

If you choose to make this payment, CPS鈥� only way forward for next year鈥檚 budget is to borrow again. Please don鈥檛 take that risk. Instead, prioritize the needs of school communities.

Use CPS鈥檚 revenue for labor agreements for teachers and principals.

Do what鈥檚 right for principals. For teachers. And, most importantly, for students.

When it comes before you, we encourage you, vote no on this unnecessary pension reimbursement.

Thank you.

December 19, 2024

CHICAGO 鈥� At The Fund, we frequently support school-level transitions when principals step out of their roles. This process takes time, deliberate planning, and extensive communication with the impacted communities. We invest the time and energy required to facilitate those transitions because when they are not planned well, leadership changes can . These negative effects can last for over two years after the transition.

Leadership change at the top of a school district impacts all students, schools, and communities in that system. That is why, over the last several months, hundreds of school leaders have expressed their reservations with a leadership transition at this time. The 320,000 students in 海角直播 (CPS) deserve a thoughtful, well-planned, and well-communicated transition. That cannot happen in a situation where meetings are called with little notice and in ways that make communication with affected communities difficult.

In the last 25 years, The Fund has supported the CPS community through 10 CEO transitions, each of which has impacted schools and school leaders. It is harder to lead in schools when a transition at the top of the system is destabilizing and distracting. Given the negative effects a decision under these circumstances could have on principals, students, and school communities, we urge the 海角直播Board of Education to postpone the consideration of CPS CEO Pedro Martinez鈥檚 employment status until it has engaged in a more thorough and transparent process of community engagement and stakeholder input. Students鈥� educational outcomes depend on this.

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About The 海角直播

The 海角直播 (The Fund) is a nonprofit organization that improves Chicago鈥檚 public schools by investing in the talented educators who lead them. The Fund is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, underscoring its enduring commitment to collaborating with partners across Chicago鈥檚 education sector to redefine school leadership in the city.

For media requests, please use our contact form.

See Full Survey Findings on

The 海角直播 (The Fund) has released the results of its annual Principal and Assistant Principal (AP) Engagement Surveys 鈥� the longest-running and largest surveys of school leaders in Chicago. Conducted in April and May and analyzed this summer, the surveys reveal significant findings about the satisfaction and needs of school leaders across the district. More than 900 principals and APs participated.

Overall, principal and AP satisfaction is up slightly year-over-year (from 63% to 64% for principals and from 73% to 76% for APs), but principal satisfaction rates have yet to return to pre-pandemic highs.

The survey found strong support for maintaining 海角直播鈥� (CPS鈥�) system of local decision-making and principal empowerment. A staggering 95% of principals stated that the ability to allocate school resources and develop their budget, as well as hire their APs, significantly impacts their effectiveness. Sixty-one percent of principals expressed the need for increased responsiveness and support from the CPS Central Office, and 60% wanted more autonomy in allocating resources.

鈥淭hese survey results show that school-level decision-making is a cornerstone of what makes Chicago鈥檚 public schools desirable for school leaders,鈥� said Mariel Laureano, Director of Educator Supports for The Fund, and a CPS principal for more than 10 years. 鈥淐PS leadership wisely named this as a core principle guiding their budget this fall, even as they shifted to a new budgeting approach. It鈥檚 vital that we continue to lean into what makes 海角直播unique for school leaders as we compete to retain and attract talented education leaders. As a school leader, I valued local control, and the vast majority of my colleagues continue to do so today.鈥�

The Fund鈥檚 annual Principal & AP Engagement Surveys provide a valuable view through the perspective of the leaders in Chicago鈥檚 public schools. With an annual frequency, 10 years of data for principals and three for APs, a high response rate (consistently over 70% among principals in district-operated schools), and independent administration by an expert survey provider (the National Business Research Institute, or NBRI), these surveys are a unique tool for anyone interested in understanding school leadership in Chicago.

Other key survey findings include:

• Principals want to spend more time on instructional leadership. Seventy-four percent of principals say they receive clear guidance on the district鈥檚 instructional vision, but principals chose instructional leadership 2 to 1 over all other answer choices when asked what would most improve their impact as a principal, including more resources, more staff, and professional development.
• Principals are deeply concerned about chronic absenteeism. Sixty percent of principals named it a significant challenge.聽
• Principals don’t yet fully understand the shift to an elected school board. While 61% of principals are aware of the upcoming elected school board governance changes, only 24% feel that communication from CPS regarding these changes is sufficient. Additionally, just 22% say they understand how the elected school board will affect their school communities.
• Principals want more tailored development opportunities. Only a slight majority of principals (58%) and APs (51%) are satisfied with the current professional development offerings, indicating a need for more responsive and relevant training opportunities.
• Most principals are satisfied with their managers. Eighty-four percent of principals reported receiving regular support and feedback from their network chief or deputy chief, with 81% acknowledging that this support has improved their practice.

About The 海角直播

The 海角直播 (The Fund) is a nonprofit organization that improves Chicago鈥檚 public schools by investing in the talented educators who lead them. For over 20 years, we have worked with our public, private, and philanthropic partners to redefine what it means to lead a public school.

About the Principal and AP Engagement Surveys

Each year since 2014, The Fund has invited all of Chicago鈥檚 public school principals to participate in our annual Principal Engagement Survey. The survey, which is available for eight to 11 weeks for any 海角直播public school principal to complete, gauges principal experience during the previous school year to better understand principals鈥� needs citywide. We then use the survey results to inform our program and policy work to support Chicago鈥檚 school leaders. High-level results for 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021 are available at .

In 2022, we introduced the AP Engagement Survey. The survey similarly seeks to understand the experiences and needs of all of Chicago’s public school APs. The findings help inform our current programming and improve the support we provide to APs throughout the year. The survey results also shape our aspiring principal pipeline strategy. High-level results for 2024, 2023, and 2022 are available at .

Media Contact

Cheyane Bligen, The 海角直播, cbligen@thefundchicago.org

The Fund regularly convenes an Educator Advisory Committee, a group of around 30 CPS principals and assistant principals (APs) who provide feedback on the work we do to support their fellow school leaders. When we brought this group together for the 2023-24 school year, they expressed a particular interest in learning more about the policy environment of CPS and developing policy recommendations to create conditions that would allow them to better serve their students.

Because this was a new type of work for our Educator Advisory Committee, the principals and APs took the lead in establishing a process for developing recommendations over the course of the year. They began by discussing the major issues they saw in their day-to-day work. These discussions revealed shared experiences of difficulty hiring full-time and temporary staff, which led the committee to choose staffing shortages as their broad topic for exploration.

From this starting point, the members continued to share their experiences and recognize commonalities that affected schools of differing sizes, locations, and student populations across the district. For example, many principals reported difficulties in hiring for specific roles, such as teachers serving students with disabilities or English learners. Challenges with district communication and finding temporary teachers also arose as pain points. Rather than just pointing out issues, however, the committee moved on to developing solutions that would help to address these problems, and refined them into concrete recommendations for policymakers at various levels, which they compiled into a memo.

It was important to our Educator Advisory Committee members that their voices be heard by decision-makers. For their last session of the school year, we invited CPS Chief Talent Officer Ben Felton, who oversees district personnel policies, to hear committee members present their recommendations. Felton offered feedback on the recommendations, shared some of his office鈥檚 existing and proposed strategies to deal with shortages, and engaged in dialogue with the school leaders present. We are also sharing the committee鈥檚 memo with additional policymakers, such as other CPS leaders, state legislators, and candidates for newly elected seats on the 海角直播Board of Education.

In addition to gaining direct access to policymakers, the school leaders on our Educator Advisory Committee appreciated that this policy process allowed them to focus their energies on finding larger, systemic solutions to the issues that arise in their daily work. Working with other school leaders from across the district also allowed them to see the challenges of staffing shortages from a broader perspective, rather than just in the context of their own school buildings. Overall, participants reported that their process of policy development was a valuable experience, and many are interested in continuing the work next year.

Because CPS school leaders play such a crucial role in the success of their schools, we at The Fund recognize the importance of their voices in the development of policies that will impact the conditions in which they do their work. This is one of the reasons why we聽 conduct our annual in partnership with CPS, which are independently administered by the National Business Research Institute. Among other things, the surveys provide valuable data on what principals and APs see as areas for improvement in district policies. The work of our Educator Advisory Committee this year has provided another avenue for principal perspective in policymaking, one we hope to build on in future iterations of the committee.

Brighton Park Elementary School is a model for schools looking to meet the needs of students beyond the classroom walls. For Principal Sara Haas, this reflects a lifelong commitment. 鈥淚 come from a community school background, and it鈥檚 been a core part of my entire educational career trajectory,鈥� she says. Aside from impressive educational offerings like a STEM lab and a recording studio, this commitment manifests within her school through extracurricular programs like extensive out-of-school programming, language support, and mental health services.

Brighton Park funds many of these opportunities through the 海角直播 (CPS) Sustainable Community Schools program (SCS), which currently allows 20 schools to provide similar types of services that benefit students and the community. 鈥淚t has truly been a lifeline for us,鈥� Sara says of the funding provided through SCS. Throughout the life of the program, CPS has used SCS to partner with neighborhood organizations and provide services that meet community needs. As the district considers expanding this program, it is important to understand how to successfully implement an SCS program, and how CPS can scale the initiative most effectively.

What Are Community Schools?

The concept of 鈥渃ommunity schools鈥� is not unique to 海角直播and has in various forms been implemented in districts across the country. The National Center for Community Schools the community schools model as 鈥渁 strategy for organizing the resources of the community around student success.鈥� CPS formally supports the community schools model through three programs under its .

CPS adopted SCS as one of these programs in 2016, when its contract with the 海角直播Teachers Union (CTU) included $10 million to establish the model in 20 schools. These participants pair with community-based organizations to provide additional services at the school under the direction of a community-based leadership team. Expanding the program has been a priority of CTU since its inception, and Mayor Brandon Johnson made SCS a key plank of his education platform during his campaign, eventually setting a goal of having 200 participant schools by the end of his first term.

3 Lessons Learned From the SCS Model in Practice

School leaders like Sara at Brighton Park appreciate the SCS model and the additional opportunities the program allows them to bring to their students. As CPS looks to scale up the program, it is important to learn from these leaders鈥� experiences to highlight the essential ingredients of a successful community school. In our conversations with principals, a few common threads are apparent:

1. Community buy-in is essential.

Successful community schools design programs that meet needs identified by community partners and provide for them in a way that accounts for the unique cultural, linguistic, and geographic characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood. Doing this requires a strong working relationship and constant communication between the principal of the school and community leaders. Under SCS, this means convening a strong leadership team to guide implementation.

2. A well-equipped community-based organization is an asset.

Successful community partners have the capacity and experience to handle large-scale grants and to work with CPS and other district stakeholders. As the program scales and expands, it will be crucial to identify organizations with both these attributes and deep, genuine ties to the neighborhoods they serve to ensure implementation that is both effective and authentic to the spirit of their communities.

3. Communication between participating schools can identify best practices.

Currently, there is no formalized process for participating schools to share their experiences within the Community Schools Initiative, even for those schools in the same neighborhoods or partnering with the same organizations. As the SCS grows in scale, opportunities for collaboration can generate best practices, and suggestions for changes at the district level will improve program operation.

When implemented successfully, community schools can serve as a lifeline to students, their families, and other community members alike. As the district considers adding new schools to the program, school leaders with experience in the current iteration of SCS can serve as a valuable resource for guiding this expansion. These lessons, along with countless more experiences at the school level, can drive improvements in the system and the successful growth of CPS as a school district that prioritizes community involvement.

Much of this difference is due to the city CPS serves: 海角直播is by far the largest city in Illinois, and its school district, with a student population of over 322,500, is nearly eight times larger than the next largest one in the state. Though this student population is dispersed across schools varying widely in size, the average CPS principal impacts 519 students, about 10% more than the statewide average of 475. Furthermore, this size brings diversity in student backgrounds and needs that principals must address.

Given the diversity in the schools they lead, CPS principals need the flexibility to meet the resulting needs in ways that make sense within their communities. Consequently, one of the most important distinctions is 海角直播principals’ significant autonomy in managing their schools. State law grants CPS principals the authority to hire teachers, set school budgets and goals, and develop specific curricula. These statutes, which cover only CPS, reflect a recognition of the need for local decision-making among the varied school communities within Chicago.

The state legislature encoded these elements of local control of schools in 1988 by passing a law that also created Local School Councils (LSCs). Policymakers and researchers agreed that highly centralized management of the district was limiting effective school practices and ultimately not supporting student achievement. As a result, CPS-operated schools have an LSC comprising parents, community members, school staff, and students, who partner with the principal to develop school goals that reflect local needs, and then align resources to meet them.

Data and experience across the country have long shown the value of principal quality: 海角直播principals, who have more control over their schools than many others, show what is possible. In CPS, with its longstanding local decision-making and school leader autonomy protected by state law, this has proven to be the case. Between 2009 and 2014, for example, CPS students in third through eighth grades improved their standardized test scores much more than the average student in the U.S., according to .

Chicago鈥檚 education landscape will experience significant changes over the coming years. However, we believe that strong school leadership will remain important. shows that students in a school with an effective principal learn nearly three months more in reading and math than their peers in schools without such leadership. We also believe that no one is better positioned to make the decisions that matter for Chicago鈥檚 schools than principals informed by their local school community. We plan to continue highlighting the significant investment 海角直播makes in its principals so they can cultivate excellent learning environments for all of Chicago鈥檚 public school students.

Unresolved Questions and Implications for the New Board

Even though the election is rapidly approaching, there are still several unresolved questions about how new board members will be chosen and how the board will operate. Most notably, the Illinois General Assembly has not yet set the districts from which board members will be elected. An attempt to draft maps during the fall 2023 veto session brought the House and Senate closer together on districts, but it also raised on the requirements for board candidates and the schedule for electing board members 鈥� whether to have a half-elected, half-appointed board for two years as in current law, or to elect all 20 members (other than the president) at once in 2024. The legislature will have to resolve these questions early in their spring regular session to allow candidates to begin campaigning in advance of the June 24 deadline for nomination petitions.

Regardless of the outcome of these discussions, the 海角直播Board of Education will triple in size from its current seven members to 21 members, making it one of the largest school boards in the country, and at least some (and eventually all) of the members will be chosen by voters rather than by the mayor. These changes will significantly alter the dynamics of the board, which means school leaders (as well as The Fund and our partners in the nonprofit sector) will need to develop new approaches for engaging with the board in its new form.

Researching Other Elected School Boards

To develop these approaches, we have researched other elected school boards to identify policies and practices that help them govern their districts effectively. Our findings show that the transition period is essential in setting the new board up for success, and that community-based and nonprofit organizations can help lay the groundwork for successful practices. Equipped with this knowledge, we have identified several ways to help school leaders 鈥� and Chicagoans in general 鈥� adapt to and support the new elected school board.聽

Encouraging Public Participation

This research from other districts also tells us that an elected board cannot be successful without robust public participation. However, a shows that only half of Chicagoans are even aware that the elected board is coming. To facilitate sharing information about the upcoming board, The Fund is partnering with a group of students through to develop communications tools and start discussions about how Chicagoans see the role of the school board in the governance of their schools.

Helping 海角直播School Leaders Stay Informed and Connected

We are also working to ensure school leaders have ample opportunity to learn about and engage with the new board. Because school boards play such an important role in implementing district policies and monitoring progress toward goals, keeping strong communication between board members and principals is essential to setting the conditions for effective school leadership. As the future of the elected board continues to develop, The Fund is committed to sharing information with principals in a way that will help them effectively engage with these new stakeholders. Additionally, we are exploring new ways to help principals in this effort, including through our Educator Advisory Committee, which is currently developing policy recommendations for the board and other decision-makers.聽

Chicago鈥檚 principals are leading in a time of many changes, and none have the potential for such long-term impact as the shift to an elected school board. Many principals (and Chicagoans in general) remain unsure of how this will affect their schools. However, as we explore the implications of these developments, The Fund remains committed to ensuring principals have the knowledge and relationships they need to effectively lead their schools. As with all changes, the elected school board is an opportunity, and we will continue to ensure Chicago鈥檚 school leaders and citizens are well-positioned to seize it.

Our new report, The Illinois Principal: Their Work, Their Challenges, Their Impact, is a joint effort between The Fund and the (IPA), a statewide membership organization that aims to develop, support, and advocate for innovative educational leaders. Though The Fund and IPA differ in both approach and scope, we are committed to fostering conditions that allow strong educators to lead their schools effectively. As such, we hope our findings will contribute to important conversations about education policy and practice.

What We Heard From Principals

To understand principals鈥� day-to-day responsibilities and challenges, we interviewed principals in rural, urban, and suburban schools of all sizes across the state. Each principal provided a unique perspective to help shape our report. Despite differences in principal, school, and community characteristics, we identified three needs that school leaders consistently shared:

1. Principals Need Adequate Funding

Over 30% of Illinois principals surveyed said increased funding for schools and principal compensation are significant concerns. State funding data reinforces the importance of this issue: Only 19% of Illinois districts are funded at a level deemed 鈥渁dequate鈥� according to the state’s definition. Our report highlights principals to personify these issues. School leaders like Tron Young of Arthur Middle School in O鈥橣allon, Illinois 鈥� located just east of St. Louis 鈥� said funding issues frequently force them to decide which staff and resources are most necessary for students鈥� learning.

2. Principals Need Predictable Staffing

It is difficult for principals to plan and implement effective educational programs when schools are understaffed or staff levels fluctuate. Though Illinois schools report an 86.3% average teacher retention rate, principals must hire five new teachers each year on average. Notably, new teacher hires are predominantly in high-need areas like English as a second language and special education. 海角直播Academy Elementary School Principal Joyce Pae described how this challenge affects students, stating that 鈥渟tudents served by these staff are always the hardest hit by these shortages.鈥�

3. Principals Need Relief From Mandates

The Illinois School Code contains over 40 instructional mandates, and more are added almost every time the state legislature convenes. Principals reported spending almost exactly as much time on internal administrative tasks as on teaching-related ones 鈥� yet time focused on supporting teachers鈥� instructional leadership is what makes the biggest impact on students. Further, these mandates are frequently time-consuming and costly to implement. Principal Cris Edwards of Richland County Elementary School in the downstate community of Olney, Illinois, summarized the conundrum when she said, 鈥淎ll these things are worthwhile, but there are only so many hours in a day, and I need to focus on instructional leadership.鈥�

Autonomy Keeps Principals in Their Roles

Despite these challenges, Illinois principals report a high degree of job satisfaction, especially in areas related to community engagement and interactions with teachers. However, maintaining their satisfaction and retaining them in their roles requires policies that promote autonomy and support effective engagement in their essential responsibilities.

Ensuring principals have the ability to invest their time in instructional leadership practices is a critical first step. Our interviews and surveys indicate principals find deep gratification in observing teachers and students and actively engaging with them. As Principal Charles Anderson of Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School in 海角直播said, 鈥淚 am happy when I do right by my students and staff in a way that鈥檚 responsive to my own school community.鈥�

Looking Forward: Principals and Policy

Illinois principals play a pivotal role in guiding students through their unique educational journeys, especially as they recover from learning disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. As the education landscape continues to evolve, leaders at the local, state, and national levels will face decisions about how to adapt school systems to students鈥� changing needs. Given their crucial role in schools and communities, principals must feature prominently in any education policy considerations. The Fund and IPA are committed to ensuring school leaders鈥� perspectives, needs, and priorities contribute to policy discussions, and our report represents a first step in fulfilling that commitment.