As we celebrate National Principals Month, it’s time to recognize the leaders at the heart of every school’s success. While much of the public conversation about education rightly focuses on teachers, the evidence is clear: next to the classroom teacher, the school principal is the most important in-school factor influencing student learning.
As a former classroom teacher, middle school assistant principal, and school principal, I’ve seen firsthand how strong leadership can transform a school. I’ve also seen how challenging the role has become and how essential it is to support those who take it on.
A landmark 2021 study from the Wallace Foundation confirms this. The report, “How Principals Affect Students and Schools: A Systematic Synthesis of Two Decades of Research,” found that effective principals have a measurable impact on student achievement, teacher retention, and overall school climate. In fact, the difference between a highly effective principal and an average one can translate into an additional three months of learning in reading and math for students.
But here’s the challenge our nation is facing: we are losing too many of these essential school leaders each year. Principals are facing unprecedented levels of stress, burnout, and turnover. According to federal data, roughly one in four principals leaves their school annually, and nearly half consider leaving the profession within three years. The pressures of managing staff shortages, addressing student mental health needs, and navigating post-pandemic recovery have only intensified.
This is why sustained investment in principals’ professional learning is a necessity, not a luxury. Principals, like teachers, need ongoing opportunities to strengthen their instructional leadership, build collaborative school cultures, and implement evidence-based strategies that drive equitable student outcomes.
At Learning Forward, we see every day how high-quality professional learning transforms schools. When principals engage in continuous learning, supported by mentoring, peer networks, and aligned systems, they become stronger instructional leaders who elevate teaching and learning throughout their schools. They are better equipped to support teachers, respond to student needs, and foster inclusive environments where every child can thrive.
Yet, at the very moment when our schools need strong leadership the most, funding for professional learning is at risk. Federal and state programs that help districts build the capacity of their educators face potential cuts, threatening the progress we’ve made in developing strong pipelines of school leaders. The $2.1 billion (FY 2025) Title II-A formula grant program, which supports high-quality professional learning and development for all educators, including leaders, is not only underfunded, it is at risk of losing all of its funding in the coming fiscal year.
We can’t afford to let that happen. Every child deserves to attend a school led by a well-prepared, well-supported principal. Every teacher deserves a leader who can guide, coach, and create the conditions for great teaching. And every community deserves schools that thrive under skilled leadership.
To explore how professional learning strengthens schools leadership and drives student success, visit Learning Forward.
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About the writer. Frederick Brown is Learning Forward’s president/CEO. Fred is an education visionary who knows firsthand that our nation’s schools need transformational change if we are to meet the challenges of the next decades. Fred advocates that every child deserves to reach their highest potential and every educator must have the opportunity to participate in exemplary, ongoing, professional learning programs to provide students the skills needed to meet their unique needs.
Supporting educators at all levels and improving student achievement are through lines of Fred's career. An elementary school teacher, a middle school assistant principal, and school principal, Fred saw firsthand the impact high-leverage instructional practices and school culture have on school success.
Fred is a frequent speaker on leadership and building high-quality learning in schools. He has co-authored two books that have made significant contributions to the field of education, demonstrating how a comprehensive approach to professional learning can be achieved so that everyone in a system is a learner, and how principals apply a learning lens to their many critical responsibilities to create a productive climate for learning and collaboration. "Becoming a Learning System" and "The Learning Principal -- Becoming a Learning Leader" are time-tested Learning Forward resources for schools and leaders.
Artwork Courtesy of Learning Forward
