Leadership that lasts: Exploring principal retention
type: CreativeWork
description: This qualitative study, guided by Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, examined how veteran principals in Kansas public schools experience their roles and how those experiences shape their decisions to remain in the same school over time. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 principals who had remained in the same school since at least the 2018–2019 academic year. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings from this study indicate that principal retention is not a single decision or outcome, but an ongoing process that principals continually reevaluate over time. Retention is not a result of a single factor but emerges from intersecting influences that shape whether the work remains meaningful, sustainable, and personally aligned over time. Principals’ retention depended on whether the work remained sustainable in their current school, family, and community contexts. Their school-building experiences were central to that decision. Also, relationships with students, staff, and the broader community, along with a strong sense of responsibility for the direction and progress of the school, anchored principals' commitment to remain. At the same time, personal and professional circumstances, including family responsibilities, career stage, and work–life balance, shaped whether staying in the role remained feasible. Findings also show that principals were not using the role as a steppingstone to district leadership, which is contrary to the principal turnover scholarship. They intentionally chose to remain at the building-level, emphasizing the importance of staying connected to students, staff, and the daily work of schools. This challenges common assumptions that frame the principalship as a transitional role within a leadership pipeline or that explain retention solely through working conditions.
abstract: This qualitative study, guided by Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, examined how veteran principals in Kansas public schools experience their roles and how those experiences shape their decisions to remain in the same school over time. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 principals who had remained in the same school since at least the 2018–2019 academic year. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings from this study indicate that principal retention is not a single decision or outcome, but an ongoing process that principals continually reevaluate over time. Retention is not a result of a single factor but emerges from intersecting influences that shape whether the work remains meaningful, sustainable, and personally aligned over time. Principals’ retention depended on whether the work remained sustainable in their current school, family, and community contexts. Their school-building experiences were central to that decision. Also, relationships with students, staff, and the broader community, along with a strong sense of responsibility for the direction and progress of the school, anchored principals' commitment to remain. At the same time, personal and professional circumstances, including family responsibilities, career stage, and work–life balance, shaped whether staying in the role remained feasible. Findings also show that principals were not using the role as a steppingstone to district leadership, which is contrary to the principal turnover scholarship. They intentionally chose to remain at the building-level, emphasizing the importance of staying connected to students, staff, and the daily work of schools. This challenges common assumptions that frame the principalship as a transitional role within a leadership pipeline or that explain retention solely through working conditions.
author: Day, Kayla S.
date published: 2026-05
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:06:46Z
provider: Wichita State University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Wichita State University