Principal Supervision as a Strategy for Supporting and Retaining School Leaders: A Case Study of the Granite School District

The role of school leader is increasingly complex, and the impact of the pandemic made these jobs almost impossible at times. Principal burnout is often high, and morale is often low. Retaining and supporting strong principals, who have a measurable impact on the success of their students, is a priority for the field. This case study describes how Granite School District used one strategy -- transforming the principal supervisor role -- to both improve principal skills and deepen these leaders' commitment to staying in their roles. Granite made a massive shift in the principal supervisor role from one focused on compliance to one focused on coaching. This case study describes the ideological and cultural shifts that were necessary -- as well as the positive impact they had on both educators and students. Districts which are facing increased turnover should seriously consider lowering their supervisor-principal ratios and providing their supervisors with the training to recraft their roles into ones that are focused more on the support that principals need and deserve and less on accountability. All districts should take stock of their principals' intentions to leave or stay -- and then take action to retain talent in this critical role.