Is Principal Sorting a Global Phenomenon? Evidence From TALIS 2018

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 12:40 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Investigating the Lived Policy Experiences of Teachers and Administrators (Table 23)

Abstract

Although unequal distribution of teacher quality has been a growing concern across the countries, little is known about the phenomenon of principal sorting from the international comparative perspective. We use the Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 to examine principal distribution across schools of the 42 countries. We find substantial variation in the principal qualifications—the proportions of novice principals, principals with a master’s degree or higher, and female principals—across countries. Our results also show that schools serving a large portion of low-SES students and rural schools tend to be supervised by principals with weaker qualifications. These patterns highlight the need to cultivate, recruit, and retain quality principals in challenged schools.

Authors

• Minseok Yang, University of Missouri

• Ho Jun Lee, Cheongju National University of Education