At a recent get-together, I was chatting with someone when they asked, "So, what do you do?"
I hesitated. Whenever I’m asked this question, my response is usually met with an eyebrow raise, which is disappointing, as I am proud to be an educator. I’ve served as a teacher, coach, instructional specialist, assistant principal, and principal at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Clearly, I love what I do.
Predictably, after I told this person with all the positive energy I could muster that I’m a high school principal, they said, "Oh, I could never do that job."
To be fair, in these moments, most people who respond in that manner do so from a place of admiration, and not judgment. For them it may seem that the principalship is an overwhelming profession. From ensuring school safety to managing instructional leadership, evaluating staff, and responding to parents, principals do it all. Ask any school principal what their responsibilities entail, and you’ll get a list that sounds more like the job of a Fortune 500 CEO, crisis manager, and community liaison rolled into one. Yet, despite their critical role, principals are often vilified and scapegoated; they are left to wonder, “Who is there to support me?”
The principalship, once a prestigious and sought-after role in education, is now an increasingly difficult profession. Recent national reports highlight the growing challenges school leaders face and paint a picture of a profession in distress. According to a RAND study on the state of American principals, school leaders experience higher levels of job-related stress than most other working adults. From staffing shortages to safety concerns, principals are navigating a complex and high-stakes landscape—and are often doing so under intense public scrutiny.
The Pressure on Principals Today
The pressure principals are under has real consequences: When school leaders are burned out or they leave, it can destabilize communities and disrupt learning. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland, where I served as principal for many years, exemplifies this troubling trend: Over the past five years, the number of new principals in its schools has fluctuated, with a noticeable uptick in recent years, from only 18 in the 2020-21 school year to 32 in 2024-25.
This means that nearly 135 schools in MCPS have had leadership changes within just a handful of years. In the 2023–24 academic year alone, 20 percent of all MCPS schools had new leadership. Such high turnover rates raise concerns about continuity and stability within the district. Schools with strong and stable leadership typically see higher student achievement and better staff retention—but when leadership constantly changes, morale suffers, instructional progress stalls, and trust within the community erodes.
When school leaders are burned out or they leave, it can destabilize communities and disrupt learning.
Moreover, frequent turnover is only part of the problem. Even principals who stay in their roles must contend with mounting public scrutiny and pressure, which further complicates their ability to lead effectively. When something goes wrong in a school, the principal is often first to be blamed. Whether it’s a student altercation, a controversial policy, or a broader school climate issue, principals tend to be perceived as the problem, rather than as part of the solution.
In Montgomery County, for example, recent high profile issues have placed school leaders under intense scrutiny. Nowhere is this more evident than in cultural and political debates, where principals are caught in the crossfire of competing interests. The Washington Post recently reported that some Montgomery County principals faced backlash over how they handled LGBTQ+ book challenges and student rights, with critics accusing them of overreach and others faulting them for not doing enough. These school leaders, many of whom were simply following district guidelines, found themselves at the center of national controversies. Instead of seeking solutions collaboratively, some community groups and parents turned to organized campaigns that called for removals or public condemnations before full investigations were even conducted—another example of how the principalship has become an increasingly difficult role to navigate.
How Support Strengthens School Leadership
Amid these many challenges, there are still school leaders going above and beyond—principals who uplift students, support teachers, and create thriving learning communities.
When we talk about transformative school leadership, we're talking about leaders like Dr. Sweta Zaks, principal at Wood Acres Elementary School in Montgomery County. Now in her third year, she has formed positive relationships with students, staff, and the community. A few students with special needs, when having a challenging day, can only be comforted and redirected back to learning by Dr. Zaks. Under her leadership, the school has earned a 5-star rating from the state of Maryland. Chronic absenteeism has dropped by more than 10 percent. Measures of student belonging are on the rise, and emergent multilingual learners are making meaningful gains toward proficiency. With the support of her director, Ms. Jewel Sanders, as well as staff and the community, Dr. Zaks has thrived.
This type of success story doesn’t happen in a vacuum: It's made possible by intentional, sustained investment in the principalship—proof that when school leaders receive the support they need, entire communities benefit.
Schools and districts that invest in principal well-being see better outcomes for everyone. RAND found that principals who feel supported by their districts and communities are more likely to remain in their roles and are more effective in leading their schools. When schools provide additional staffing, mental health resources, and professional development, principals are better equipped to navigate the pressures of the job.
Schools and districts that invest in principal well-being see better outcomes for everyone.
A Call for a Shift in Perspective
While structural supports are essential, they don’t appear out of nowhere—they’re driven by how we view the role of the principal in the first place. To truly change outcomes, we need to start by changing the narrative around school leadership. Instead of making principals the scapegoat for systemic challenges, we should be asking:
- How can we better support our school leaders so they can be more effective?
- What policies need to change to reduce burnout and make the job more sustainable?
- How can communities work with principals, rather than against them, to create better schools?
If we don’t support our principals, we risk losing them. And if we lose them, we lose the very foundation of our schools. But it doesn’t have to be this way. When we recognize the value of school leaders and commit to creating the conditions they need to succeed, we pave the way for stronger schools, healthier communities, and better outcomes for students.
