2The Relationship between Principal Characteristics, School-Level Teacher Quality and Turnover, and Student Achievement

One of the most important roles principals play in determining the quality of their schools is the selection and retention of well-qualified teachers. The preponderance of evidence from the economic and education policy literature indicates that teachers with stronger academic backgrounds and teachers assigned in-field produce better student outcomes than other teachers. Further, the available evidence suggests that teacher turnover tends to have a deleterious effect on student achievement. We hypothesize that principals have a direct effect on student achievement through various strategies such as effective instructional leadership, creating a positive school culture, providing adequate time and materials for teachers to be effective, and buffering teachers from outside influences. Further, we believe that these strategies and behaviors can be influenced through high-quality preparation programs. However, we believe that the primary strategies by which principals affect student achievement are the hiring and retention of high-quality teachers. This study used state databases from Texas on schools, teachers, and principals t