The Role of Principals in Attracting Teachers - Findings from Teacher Transfer Requests

Oct 15, 2026

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Examines how school principals influence teacher retention and the ability of schools to attract applicants, using WCPSS data from AY2007-08 to AY2021-22. The study analyzes the prevalence and motivations behind teacher transfer requests, identifies principal attributes associated with completing transfer applications, and assesses whether teachers prioritize principal characteristics over school factors such as distance. It also links school-level shares of transfer applicants to later turnover rates and examines how teacher mobility measures relate to demand for teaching positions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Research Questions

Study Data

What We Can Learn about Principals from the Data

Details about the WCPSS Teacher Transfer Policy

Full Study

The Role of Principals in Attracting Teachers: Findings from Teacher Transfer Requests Background Districts across the country are experiencing churn and uncertainty related to school staffing. In 2021, sixteen percent of teachers left their schools (National Center for Education Statistics 2022), and districts have struggled to fill the vacancies. In North Carolina, a survey of school districts identified over 11,000 vacancies that were unfilled at the start of the 2022-23 school year (Schlemmer & deBruyn 2022) . Increases in educator turnover and hiring difficulties raise urgent questions about what district leaders and principals can do to make schools desirable places to work so they are fully staffed and so all students can learn. Previous research tells us that teachers generally seek out schools that are close to their homes (Boyd et al 2013; Cannata 2010; Engel, et al., 2014), as well as schools that serve more advantaged populations (Boyd et al. 2005; Boyd et al. 2011) . In Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), we expand prior research by documenting the role principals can play in retaining teachers and attracting applicants to their schools. Research Questions We use WCPSS data from AY2007-08 to AY2021-22, which includes more than 18,000 teachers, 7,000 transfer applicants, and 352 principals to answer the following questions: 1. How common are transfer requests in WCPSS? 2. What reasons do teachers give for seeking a transfer to another WCPSS? Are some reasons more predictive of their eventual transfer to another school? 3. What principal characteristics (e.g., years of experience, principal-teacher demographic congruence, teacher survey reports of leadership quality) are associated with a teacher’s decision to complete a transfer application (i.e., to apply for a transfer away from their school)? 4. Conditional on completing a transfer application, do teachers show preferences for certain principal attributes over others? What is the relative importance of principal characteristics compared to school characteristics (e.g., distance between school and home)? 5. What is the relationship between the percentage of teachers at a school who completed a transfer application and the school’s actual turnover rate later that year? How do teacher mobility measures relate to demand for teaching at that school? Study Data We use information about teachers, principals, and schools from WCPSS. The primary sources of data for this study are the following: ● Transfer applications, including the schools a teacher selected and the reasons listed; ● Characteristics of school principals, including teacher reports of leadership from the Teacher Working Condition survey; and ● Characteristics of schools, including student demographics, magnet status, and performance. What We Can Learn about Principals from the Data The job of a principal is complex and nuanced, with a wide range of responsibilities, and we can only consider dimensions of school leadership that are available in WCPSS’s Oracle employee database ~~ ~~ and Teacher Working Conditions survey data. Specifically, in this research, we look at these factors: 2 The Role of Principals in Attracting Teachers: Findings from Teacher Transfer Requests ● Whether a teacher is the same race/ethnicity and/or sex of the principal/; ● Stability in school leadership (e.g., the principal is new to the school, the principal has been atthe school for five years or more); ● Reports of leadership quality from the NC Teacher Working Conditions survey; and ● If the principal and teacher were previously colleagues in another context. Details about the WCPSS Teacher Transfer Policy When is the transfer period? The transfer request window is open each spring, typically from February to May. Who is eligible? Teachers currently employed by the district are allowed to complete a transfer application. Non-eligible employees include part-time teach

FAQs

How does the study measure teacher transfer requests in WCPSS?

It uses WCPSS transfer applications from AY2007-08 to AY2021-22, including selected schools and the reasons teachers list for seeking a transfer.

What principal characteristics are analyzed for their association with transfer applications?

The research examines leadership-related dimensions available in WCPSS data, including stability of leadership, leadership quality reports from the Teacher Working Conditions survey, years of experience, demographic congruence, and whether principals and teachers were prior colleagues.

What does the WCPSS transfer policy specify about when and how transfers are applied for?

Transfer requests are submitted through a web-based portal during a spring window (typically February to May). Teachers eligible in the district can apply, and principals receive summary reports that show teachers at their own schools who completed applications.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Melati