From Design to Reality: New School Leader Coaching and Professional Learning Community of Practice Aims to Improve Administrator Retention

Last winter, MCREN convened a design team of former superintendents, principals, district leaders, higher education partners, coaches, and climate and culture administrators to address a long-standing challenge in our region and nationwide: new principal retention.

Across the country, new principals leave their roles at an average rate of 18%, with even higher turnover in high-poverty schools. Oregon mirrors this trend, with 18–20% turnover among new principals each year. The impact is significant—frequent leadership changes disrupt instructional consistency, lower staff morale, erode trust, and can negatively affect both student outcomes and teacher retention.

To respond, the design team spent six months conducting empathy interviews, studying local needs, and applying an equity lens to craft a year-long, regional support model for new administrators. Their work resulted in the New School Leader Collaborative, a program designed to strengthen the experience of new principals and assistant principals while creating conditions for long-term success.

This year, five districts across Multnomah and Clackamas counties are piloting the program, supporting 24 novice principals and assistant principals through the guidance of 14 experienced coaches, including retired and active school leaders.

Program Features

• Voluntary participation with clear expectations
  

• 1:1 leadership coaching model
  

• A structured regional community of practice
  

• Learning aligned to the National Professional Standards for Educational Leaders

Early feedback from participants highlights the program’s positive impact:

“Hearing others’ perspectives helped validate what I’ve been feeling as a new administrator… and talking through scenarios helped me see new paths forward.”

“It was helpful to revisit and refine my core leadership values—especially now that I’m actually in the role.”

Coaches echo the value of the model:

“These supports were incredibly relevant to the challenges that arise in coaching sessions.”

“It’s reassuring to connect with other coaches… and Mike always shares wisdom that ends up in my notebook.”

The New School Leader Collaborative represents more than a single program—it is a blueprint for how our region can take on complex challenges together. By bringing multiple stakeholders, including those closest to the work together to design and test an approach to a local need we strengthen the entire educator ecosystem. It shows what becomes possible when we design solutions withthe system, not around it: more stability, stronger leadership, and better outcomes for every school community.