Leadership in Reform Schools: Evidence From North Carolina

• In Event: Impact of Innovative School Reforms on Educators and Students

Abstract

Previous studies have examined characteristics of turnaround school leaders, but less is known about principals leading reform schools under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Filling this gap, we examine principals in North Carolina’s Restart (NCR) schools. NCR aligns with ESSA’s emphasis on local autonomy by allowing low-performing schools to develop their own improvement plans. However, NCR differs from previous restart models because NCR schools remain under the governance of their local district instead of being turned over to an external management organization. Using descriptive analysis and difference-in-difference models, we examine how principal characteristics change when schools begin NCR reforms. We find that NCR principals are more likely to be female and Black than principals in non-NCR schools.

Authors

• So Ra Yoo, North Carolina State University

• Lam D. Pham, North Carolina State University

• Timothy Drake, North Carolina State University