Number and percentage distribution of public and private elementary and secondary school principals, by mobility or attrition since the previous school year and occupational status: School year 2021-22

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Table 212.30.Number and percentage distribution of public and private elementary and secondary school principals, by mobility or attrition since the previous school year and occupational status: School year 2021-22
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Mobility or attrition since the previous school year and occupational status	Total number of school principals			Percentage distribution
	Total number of school principals			Of all school principals			Of principals within each mobility or attrition category
1	2			3			4
	Public school principals
Total, all public school principals	91,060		(213)	100.0		(†)	†		(†)
Stayed at the same school, remaining its principal¹	72,530		(503)	79.6		(0.52)	100.0		(†)
Moved to a different school to work as its principal	5,380		(312)	5.9		(0.34)	100.0		(†)
Working as principal at a public school in the same school district	2,750		(213)	3.0		(0.23)	51.2		(2.96)
Working as principal at a public school in a different school district	1,610		(174)	1.8		(0.19)	30.0		(2.76)
Working as principal at a private school	60	!	(22)	0.1	!	(0.02)	1.0	!	(0.40)
Working as a principal at a public school in an unknown district or at a school with unknown control	960		(153)	1.0		(0.17)	17.8		(2.50)
Stopped working as a principal	10,210		(418)	11.2		(0.46)	100.0		(†)
Retired, not working outside of home	3,250		(246)	3.6		(0.27)	31.9		(1.84)
Working in a kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) school, but not as a principal²	2,220		(196)	2.4		(0.21)	21.7		(1.70)
Working in the same school, but not as principal	920		(134)	1.0		(0.15)	9.0		(1.21)
Working in a different public school, but not as principal	1,150		(130)	1.3		(0.14)	11.3		(1.22)
Working in a private school, but not as principal	60	!	(23)	0.1	!	(0.03)	0.6	!	(0.23)
Working in K-12 education, but not in a school	4,170		(241)	4.6		(0.26)	40.9		(1.88)
Working in a district or administrative office as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, or other higher level administrator	2,250		(180)	2.5		(0.20)	22.0		(1.60)
Working in a district or administrative office, in a position other than that of a higher level administrator	1,530		(161)	1.7		(0.18)	15.0		(1.48)
Working at a job associated with K-12 education, but not directly associated with any schools or school systems	340		(65)	0.4		(0.07)	3.3		(0.62)
Position unknown	60	!	(29)	0.1	!	(0.03)	0.6	!	(0.29)
Working at a job outside of K-12 education	570		(85)	0.6		(0.09)	5.5		(0.81)
Other/unknown³	2,950		(219)	3.2		(0.24)	100.0		(†)
	Private school principals
Total, all private school principals	22,890		(235)	100.0		(†)	†		(†)
Stayed at the same school, remaining its principal¹	18,910		(350)	82.6		(1.23)	100.0		(†)
Moved to a different school to work as its principal	570		(110)	2.5		(0.48)	100.0		(†)
Working as principal at a different private school	420		(95)	1.8		(0.42)	74.2		(7.21)
Working as principal at a public school	120	!	(44)	0.5	!	(0.19)	20.8	!	(6.73)
Working as a principal at a school with unknown control	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Stopped working as a principal	2,220		(220)	9.7		(0.96)	100.0		(†)
Retired, not working outside of home	650		(123)	2.8		(0.53)	29.2		(4.58)
Working in a K-12 school, but not as a principal²	900		(138)	3.9		(0.60)	40.5		(4.85)
Working in the same school, but not as principal	570		(123)	2.5		(0.54)	25.9		(4.52)
Working in a different private school, but not as principal	180		(55)	0.8		(0.24)	8.3		(2.48)
Working in a public school, but not as principal	140	!	(45)	0.6	!	(0.20)	6.4	!	(2.04)
Working in K-12 education, but not in a school	260		(62)	1.1		(0.27)	11.5		(2.71)
Working in a district or administrative office as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, or other higher level administrator	90	!	(35)	0.4	!	(0.15)	4.1	!	(1.59)
Working in a district or administrative office, in a position other than that of a higher level administrator	50	!	(22)	0.2	!	(0.10)	2.1	!	(0.98)
Working at a job associated with K-12 education, but not directly associated with any schools or school systems	110	!	(44)	0.5	!	(0.19)	4.8	!	(1.92)
Position unknown	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)
Working at a job outside of K-12 education	420		(102)	1.8		(0.45)	18.8		(4.04)
Other/unknown³	1,190		(160)	5.2		(0.70)	100.0		(†)
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.
¹Includes those who were on leave (e.g., maternity/paternity, military, disability, or sabbatical).
²In addition to former public school principals working at a different job in the listed types of schools, also includes those in a school with unknown control.
³The school reported that it did not have a principal last year, the principal had died, or the principal had left since the previous school year, but the school was unable to report on the current occupational status of the principal.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and the suppression of cells that do not meet reporting standards.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), "Public School Principal Data File," 2020-21; and NTPS Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), "Public School Principal Status Data File" and "Private School Principal Status Data File," 2021–22. (This table was prepared September 2023.)

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