The chapters of this seminal report have divided into seven different segments, each of which examines a different aspect of the principalship today. You can download the entire study here.

Introduction
This chapter provides context for the study by describing the study's history and its goals. It also includes a description of the survey's methods and provides examples of questions asked in previous versions of the survey.

The Principalship Today
These chapters use the collected data to identify the characteristics of the average elementary school principal and to present statistics on principals’ demographics (age, race, gender) and professional status (memberships with professional associations, anticipated retirement age, etc.).

Principals’ Responsibility and Authority
This chapter describes the different responsibilities and the types of authority typically given to today’s principals.

Schools and School Districts  
This chapter examines issues pertaining to school districts and school sites, including ways that the No Child Left Behind Act has affected school districts across the country.

Conditions of Employment
This chapter presents data on principals’ conditions of employment (salary information, nature of principals’ contracts, etc.).

Principals’ Education and Professional Development
These chapters present statistics on principals’ educational background and professional development activities that active principals partake in.

Recruiting the Principals of Tomorrow
These chapters identify the challenges most cited by today’s principals, and the problems that active principals believe are currently preventing schools from attracting qualified candidates to the profession.