Bill Toungette, the assistant principal at Woodland Middle School in Brentwood, Tenn., has seen his fair share of bosses come and go.
Toungette applied for the principalship at Woodland and other schools, but the timing—or fit—never aligned. Then, four years ago, when the principal post at Woodland opened again, he decided he was too close to retirement to pursue it, and instead encouraged a younger female peer to apply. She ultimately got the job.
Retirement wasn’t the only reason, though.
“I think it is a huge job. It’s so much responsibility. You’ve really got to have a passion for all that responsibility,” said Toungette.
There was a time, he said, when he wanted to lead a school and build his own team. Now, he’s happy “living his best life.” He mentors younger assistant principals in his school and across the district, while they, in turn, keep him updated on the latest tech tools and apps.
The principalship may seem like the natural next step for assistant principals, but many never pursue it. In a study published last month, nearly two-thirds of assistant principals in a large southeastern district had never applied for a promotion. Broken down by race and gender, the study found women of color waited the longest to apply, while white men, on average, applied within five years.
Several factors shape whether—and when—assistant principals apply. The second in command at a school builds essential leadership skills as instructional leads, disciplinarians, or master schedulers. But those who become siloed in one role—for instance, discipline—may miss out on broader experiences that would make them competitive as a principal candidate.
There’s also a “quiet system” in some districts, where candidates are informally tapped for principal roles, said Sarah Guthery, one of the study’s co-authors. For some groups, like women of color, familial and financial responsibilities often prevent them from applying to the principalship earlier in their careers, or at all. Leaders of color, both men and women, face more scrutiny as they go up the career ladder, or have few role models to emulate, which can also hold them back from applying, the study noted.
Not all assistant principals see the role as a stepping stone, and many say impact doesn’t require moving up.
“Growing in leadership is beyond just the linear staircase. The principalship certainly is one way to move into higher levels of leadership. But that can be a trap for folks, too, who recognize that their skillsets or interests may be beyond that,” said Melyssa Stone, an assistant principal at Shorewood High School in Shoreline, Wash.
Still, assistant principals say districts could do more to expand their influence. They often aren’t included in discussions about budgets, teacher training, or leadership development. That exclusion limits both their growth and their impact, said Eric Fox, one of six assistant principals at Jenks High School in Jenks, Okla., where he’s served for 13 years.
“I think it’s one of the most under-leveraged and underappreciated roles,” Fox said. “I know districts invest in their building leader, but assistant principals [are] closer to the teacher level and the student level. It’s one of the most powerful roles a district can utilize to bring about school improvement.”
Education Week spoke with five assistant principals across the country—some with decades of experience, others early in their careers—about how they view the role and what comes next.
