Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Can principals measurably improve school performance?  There has been a significant amount written about the measurement of value added for teachers.  This paper measures the value-added for principals for grades three through eight, using test scores from the Comprehensive Assessment Tests in Minnesota.  The analysis compares the impact from highly rated principals to principals of average ability.  The paper also measures the impact of principals on the “Achievement Gap” of schools in areas of high poverty and with high concentrations of minority students.