Special Report

Inside the Principal-Teacher Relationship

October 16, 2019
Special Report v39 09 PricipalTeacherRelation cover James Steinberg
Do principals really know what their teachers think of them? Do teachers really trust that their principals understand—and can provide—what they need most to succeed?
How principals and teachers answer those questions and others about their relationships drove the reporting we’ve done to better understand how these major players do—and should—interact in their schools. Anchored by findings from a nationally representative survey of principals and teachers by the Education Week Research Center, our stories explore some of the key issues—and stressors—that influence the dynamics between principals and teachers. We talked to dozens of principals about their strategies for building strong partnerships with teachers and heard from many teachers about what they say they need most from their school leaders.