THE TEXAS PRINCIPAL WORKFORCE REPORT - A 12-year Analysis of Principal Leadership - (2010-11 to 2022-23)

Oct 15, 2026

A data-driven report analyzes the Texas principal workforce across a 12-year span, focusing on demographics, context-based variation, compensation patterns, and principal turnover. Using large-scale longitudinal data, it examines how leadership characteristics have shifted over time, how trends differ by school type and student demographics, and how retention and exit rates relate to principal longevity. Findings support policymakers and the public in understanding key opportunities and challenges for sustaining effective school leadership.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages81

Reading Time3 h 24 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgments

Glossary

Executive Summary

Introduction

Texas Principal and Assistant Principal Demographics

Principal and Assistant Principal Demographics by Context

Principal Turnover: Trends and Student Outcomes

Implications and Conclusions

References

About the Research Team

Appendix

THE TEXAS PRINCIPAL WORKFORCE REPORT A 12-year Analysis of Principal Leadership (2010-11 to 2022-23) August 2024 David E. DeMatthews University of Texas at Austin Alexandra Aylward University of Nevada, Reno Andrew Pendola Auburn University Torri D. Hart University of Texas at Austin David Knight University of Washington Pedro Reyes University of Texas at Austin T.E.L.L. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments 3 Glossary 4 Executive Summary 5 Introduction 18 Texas Principal and Assistant Principal Demographics 32 Principal and Assistant Principal Demographics by Context 41 Principal Turnover: Trends and Student Outcomes 56 Implications and Conclusions 70 References 73 About the Research Team 76 Appendix 79 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful and acknowledge the unique contributions of many individuals who made this work possible. We thank the leadership and staﬀ at The Holdsworth Center, including Lindsay Whorton and Pauline Dow, for their generous and thoughtful feedback and support throughout the research and publication process. At the University of Texas at Austin, we are grateful to Celeste Alexander at the Texas Education Research Center for her continuous support and expertise throughout the study. We are also grateful to Laura Torres for her continued eﬀortsin supporting data visualization and multiple revisions of the study. We also thank Jinseok Shin at the University of Texas at Austin and Pooya Almasi from the University of Washington for their expertise and valuable contributions. We would also like to thank the research and policy experts who graciously reviewed all aspects of the study and provided feedback to enhance the study and report’s potential impact. Shelby Cosner at the University of Illinois Chicago and Elena Izquierdo at the University of Texas at El Paso provided multiple rounds of feedback and support throughout the study and reporting process. GLOSSARY ACADEMIC YEAR: The school year starting at the end of each summer and ending the following year in late spring or early summer. School year 2011 refers to the academic school year beginning in the Fall of 2010. We also refer to a school year as 2010-11. CITY: Territory inside an Urbanized Area and inside a Principal City. HISPANIC: Individuals reporting Hispanic/Latino as race. LONGITUDINAL: Repeated measurements of the same data points over an extended period of time. RETENTION: Principal remained in their position on their campus at the end of the school year and into the next year. RURAL: Census-deﬁned rural territory. SALARY: Total pay including supplements. SUBURBAN: Territory outside a Principal City and inside an Urbanized Area. PRINCIPAL: Individual whose role is classiﬁed as School Principal by the Texas Education Agency. TOWN: Territory inside an Urban Cluster. TENURE: Length of time a principal has held that role. TURNOVER RATE: Percent of principals that exited their position in a given year. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The work of leadership in our public schools has never been easy but, in the last few years, we have seen seismic shifts: social media has altered the relational environment of children; COVID-19 upended the way schooling was provided to children; increasing ideological polarization has led to attacks on the public education system. During this time, principals must ensure every child receives a high-quality education. Principals oversee daily operations, foster an equitable learning environment, eﬃciently utilize resources, support teachers and families, and provide ongoing monitoring and support. These eﬀorts are taxing even under the best conditions especially amid the seismic shifts of the past few years. The principal workforce is under duress. Increasing stress, burnout, high turnover, and short tenure in the principalship can have detrimental eﬀects on teachers and students. Texans must pay close attention to the principalship and ensure policy

FAQs

What period does the Texas principal workforce report cover?

The report analyzes principal leadership across 12 years, from 2010-11 to 2022-23.

Which topics does the study address about Texas school leadership?

It covers demographics of principals and assistant principals and how they change over time, variation by school type and demographics, trends in principal pay, and principal turnover rates by school type and demographics.

How does the report describe recent challenges facing the principal workforce?

It highlights increased stress and burnout, high turnover, and short tenure that can negatively affect teachers and students, making sustained attention to principal leadership essential.

Oct 15, 2026

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