Educator Retention in Context: Understanding Patterns in Principal Turnover in Texas and Washington State During the COVID-19 Era

School principals faced unprecedented pressure during the COVID-19 period and an increase in workload due to transitions to and from distance learning. Increased educator turnover has great consequence for students and schools and important implications for policymakers moving into the postpandemic era. In this brief, we describe principal turnover within the broader context by showing how recent increases compare to historical trends, how the nature of turnover has changed with the composition of the workforce, and whether particular student groups are disproportionately impacted. We offer recommendations for improving principal retention and equitable access to stable school leadership.