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National Teacher and Principal Survey
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Number of 2015–16 public school principals and percentage distribution of public school principals, by 2016–17 status and their plan to remain a principal: 2016–17

        Percent
Plan to remain a principal in 2015-2016   Total1   Stayers   Movers   Leavers   Other  
All public schools   86,180   82.2   6.0   9.8   2.0  
                       
Plan to remain a principal                      
As long as I am able   35,650   42.8   39.9   30.2   39.8  
Until I am eligible for retirement from this job   15,870   18.7   14.9   18.5   15.4  
Until I am eligible for retirement from a previous job   100 ! 0.1 ! ‡   #   ‡  
Until I am eligible for Social Security benefits   1,530   1.5   ‡   3.7   ‡  
Until a specific life event occurs2   3,800   4.4   2.6 ! 5.4   5.0 !
Until a more desirable job opportunity comes along   10,590   11.5   19.7   14.2   13.9  
Definitely plan to leave as soon as I can   610   0.4   ‡   3.2   ‡  
Undecided at this time   18,030   20.5   21.0   24.8   19.2  
# Rounds to zero.
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 percent and 50 percent (i.e., the standard error is at least 30 percent and less than 50 percent of the estimate).
‡ Reporting standards not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error is 50 percent or more of the estimate).
1 These estimates do not include 4.7 percent of the 2015–16 principals about whom no information was available in 2016–17.
2 Specific life events such as relocation or children's graduation from college.
NOTE: "Stayers" are principals who were principals in the same school in the current school year as in the base year. "Movers" are principals who were still principals in the current school year but had moved to a different school after the base year. "Leavers" are principals who were no longer principals after the base year. "Other" includes principals who had left their base-year school, but for whom it was not possible to determine a mover or leaver status in the current school year. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and because some data are not shown.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), "Public School Principal Data File," 2015–16 and Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), "Public School Principal Status Data File," 2016–17.
 

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