Fund 5

Why Principals?

Research and experience tell us that the formula for sustaining and accelerating gains in Chicago’s public schools must include investment in the principals leading transformational change.

1. Elementary schools with strong leaders are seven times more likely to improve in reading and four times more likely to improve in math.
2. Principal leadership accounts for 25 percent of the total school influence on a child’s academic performance.
3. 24 out of 25 teachers say the principal is the number one reason they stay in or leave a school.

A principal’s impact is even more profound in Chicago, where principals have more control over budget, curriculum and staffing decisions than their peers across Illinois and in other major cities.