TY  - JOUR
AB  - Most assistant principals (APs) seek to become principals in the future. However, little is known about why some APs aspire to the principalship while others wish to remain in the AP role. This study examines the factors that predict APs’ aspirations to the principalship, which is key to understanding the supply of future principals. We use data from the 2024 Tennessee Educator Survey to examine the extent to which APs’ personal characteristics, relationships with their principals, school settings, and professional experiences relate to their self-reported aspirations to the principalship, using crosstabulations and linear probability models. We estimate that 60% of APs in the Tennessee sample aspire to the principalship. Encouragement from their principals and early-career status are the strongest predictors of whether an AP wants to become a principal. Black APs are more likely to aspire to the principalship compared to white APs (a pattern concentrated among Black men), and high school APs are less likely to aspire compared to elementary and middle school APs. Findings from this study highlight opportunities for districts to differentiate development opportunities by APs’ career stage and school level, and can offer guidance for principals on how to intentionally encourage APs to build a strong pool of future leaders.
AU  - Moyer, Anna
AU  - Goldring, Ellen
PY  - 2026
ST  - Assistant Principals’ Career Aspirations: Exploring the Supply Side of the School Leadership Pipeline
TI  - Assistant Principals’ Career Aspirations: Exploring the Supply Side of the School Leadership Pipeline
UR  - http://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai26-1587
ER  -