This Report Card lists the percentage of principals with 0-3, 4-10, and greater than 10 years of experience as a principal in this district and the state. State records maintain two types of experience for principals. One has the total years in education. The other, the total number of years as a principal. The data shown here reflects the total years of principal experience. North Carolina credits principals with an additional year of experience at the end of each school year.
Look at the distribution of principal experience in your school district. Are the majority of principals new, very experienced, or are experience levels well balanced? Experience is often associated with professional expertise, but it is best to consider these data in the context of additional information. By talking to district administrators, you may learn that many of the less experienced principals in your district are very involved with their schools and parents, or that they have valuable current knowledge of state and federal education laws and programs. Ask questions about the distribution of principal experience in your district. Has the district experienced a large number of principal retirements in the last couple of years? Has your district opened new schools requiring the district to hire additional principals?
Use the state averages as reference points in reading district level data. It would be a mistake to judge a district as "better" or "worse" based only on differences in these data. Be sure to discuss the differences you see with district principals before drawing conclusions about your district's overall quality.
For technical information about when and how data on administrative experience are collected, see the Data Sources & Information Guide. For technical information about when and how data on administrative experience are collected, see the Data Sources & Information Guide.