An exclusive Education Week Research Center survey reveals striking gaps between how principals rate the impact of their leadership and how teachers do.
Special Report: Inside the Principal-Teacher Relationship
69% of principals completely agree that teachers at their school feel empowered to bring problems to them.
25% of teachers completely agree they feel empowered to bring problems to their principal.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 been the biggest frustration in the districts I have been at, teachers have questioned the consequences that a student received, that they weren鈥檛 harsh enough.鈥�
鈥�Russell McDaniel, principal, Celina, Texas
45% of teachers completely agree their principal supports teachers who start innovative work or new initiatives.
86% of principals completely agree they support teachers who start innovative work or new initiatives.
"All too often, principals are in classrooms ... taking copious notes ... [T]hey rattle off all of the notes ... and it doesn鈥檛 help the teacher improve anything."
鈥�Kimberly Grayson, principal, Denver
87% of principals say it is very important for teachers to have a positive working relationship with them.
81% of teachers say it is very important for them to have a positive working relationship with their principal.
鈥淯sing evaluation tools as punitive assessments really doesn鈥檛 do anybody any good.鈥�
鈥�Keith Brayman, social studies teacher, Lexington, S.C.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a fine line between being a leader and being a boss.鈥�
鈥�David Bosso, social studies teacher, Berlin, Conn.
