How Assistant Principals are Reshaping School Leadership

When we talk about the principalship, we tend to think about it through the lens of the “big role.” But the assistant principal role is one that is rising both in stature and impact. According to “The Role of Assistant Principals: Evidence and Insights for Advancing School Leadership,” a report from The Wallace Foundation, there are more assistant principals in U.S. public schools than ever before. According to the report, the number of assistant principals has increased from about one-third to more than half over a 25-year period. 

While a principal’s role is typically similar from school to school and district to district, the role of the AP, as the National Association of Elementary School Principals says, is “anything but standardized.” “So many schools have assistant principals today, and it is such a linchpin in leadership development,” says Vanderbilt University Professor Ellen Goldring. “But we really don’t know that much about it.”

There’s also a lot of opportunity to mold the assistant principalship role into a combination of what a particular school needs and an assistant principal’s strengths. In this blog, we’ll dig into how the assistant principal’s role has changed from its traditional boundaries to something far more effective and impactful—and how AP’s can evolve the role into one that serves their school and serves their career aspirations. 

From disciplinarian to dynamic leader

Traditionally, assistant principals have been tasked with student discipline and behavior issues—days filled with managing attendance issues, supervising lunch periods, coordinating bus schedules, being there for school dismissal, and handling disciplinary referrals. And, while these duties remain important and might be a part of an AP’s role, they no longer define the job.

One of the ways the job is being defined is through instructional leadership. School principals might be the instructional leaders of their schools, but they can’t—and shouldn’t— embark on this kind of leadership alone.
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Assistant principals make great instructional leadership “co-pilots” because of their ability to cultivate trust with teachers and staff—trust that leads to better student outcomes.

This is especially true when AP’s are given the opportunity to lead instructional leadership teams (ILTs) or act as instructional coaches. 

Kristin Eng, New Leaders alum and principal of CICS-West Belden in Chicago, says that in her previous role as assistant principal, viewing herself as a collaborator and a person that teachers could go to with questions or insights was critical. “Teachers are the ones who are on the ground, and in order to move their practices…you want to make sure that your relationship with teachers is strong.” 

From school liaison to community connector

Assistant principals have long served as the “key relationship builders” within school walls. They serve as a point of contact for families, helping them understand the school system at large and offering guidance while ensuring they feel seen and heard.

With students, effective AP’s create bonds through regular interactions, whether it’s through attending performances and sporting events, lending an ear during lunch hour, or simply maintaining visibility in the hallway. 

In both cases, these personal connections allow AP’s to be trusted advocates who understand families, students, and the educators in their school at an individual level. That has a tremendous positive effect on school culture. 

An AP’s relationship-building skills are increasingly being used outside their schools, building vital partnerships with the broader community. Where these external relationships may have been primarily the principal’s domain at one point, assistant principals now regularly collaborate with local businesses to create work-study opportunities, coordinate with government agencies to coordinate services for families, and partner with nonprofits to bring additional resources into schools. This expanded “community engagement” role offers AP’s who love networking and developing relationships an opportunity to connect school needs with local resources. 

From “assisting” to “co-piloting”

New Leaders alum Afua Agyeman-Badu, an assistant principal at Chicago’s Ira F. Aldridge Elementary School, doesn’t mince words about how important her role is. “Our role is critical,” she says. “It would be hard for a principal to lead without us.” Another AP agrees, saying, “The principal has a huge task—ensuring student achievement—and everything falls on his or her shoulders. That said, the AP is learning all aspects of the building so that at any given moment, he or she can pivot to address anything that takes time away from the principal being a true instructional leader.” 

Truthful comments like this make it all the more surprising when you learn that while the number of assistant principals in the United States has increased, many of them never move into a principal position—with many AP’s reporting that they aren’t getting the leadership experience or exposure to the work that’s necessary for learning the role. Former assistant principal turned education consultant and author Baruti K. Kafele says this is often because assistant principals get pigeonholed into specific roles—like the disciplinarian—because of their strong relationships with students. Another issue at play is the lack of standards for assistant principal roles in general.

This is where it’s important for assistant principals to work alongside their principals to develop their own definitions for the role—one that begins with looking at AP’s as partners and co-pilots in school leadership rather than someone who’s simply assisting or supporting. One of the best ways to embrace this “principal-in-training” view is to help your principal distribute their leadership tasks to create a more well-rounded leadership experience for you. Through distributed leadership, you might lead teacher teams or data meetings, coach teachers, spearhead engagement initiatives, or even take a lead role in your school’s strategic planning efforts. 

Shaping your Assistant Principal leadership identity

For assistant principals looking to cement their leadership identity while navigating this evolving role, intentionality is key. Here are a few actions to consider:

• Start by conducting a personal strengths assessment, identifying your unique abilities, experiences, and passions that could address specific school needs. Have candid conversations with your principal about how to align these strengths with the leadership opportunities that are available. 
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• Create your own professional growth plan with specific leadership competencies you want to develop. Look for opportunities to lead task forces or committees addressing school priorities, which allows you to demonstrate leadership capacity while solving real challenges. Throughout all of this, be sure to document your impact through data collection and reflection, building a portfolio of leadership experiences that showcases your growth.
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• Consider developing a signature initiative that becomes associated with your leadership, whether implementing a new approach to student voice, creating innovative professional development structures, or establishing community partnerships. By thoughtfully cultivating these leadership experiences while remaining responsive to school needs, you can transform the assistant principalship from a waiting room into a leadership laboratory.

The assistant principalship is a role that will continue to evolve—from a supporting position to a vital leadership role that shapes school culture, student success, and community partnership. The APs who intentionally craft their leadership identity while serving their school communities will not only thrive in their current roles but also build the foundation for future leadership opportunities.

Ready to transform your assistant principal experience into a powerful leadership journey? The New Leaders Principal Fellowship offers aspiring and current assistant principals a pathway to the essential competencies needed in the current—and future—school leadership landscape. Learn more at: https://www.fellowship.newleaders.org/