Minnesota Principals Survey (MnPS)
The goal of the Minnesota Principals Survey (MnPS), generously funded by the Minneapolis Foundation and the Joyce Foundation, is to elevate principal voice. All principals, assistant principals, and charter school directors in the state of Minnesota are invited to participate in the MnPS on a biannual basis. The Minnesota Principals Survey was administered in 2021 and 2023 and resulted in the publication of numerous reports and policy briefs, described and linked below.
The next iteration of the survey will take place in November 2025.
About the Minnesota Principals Survey
It’s a comprehensive survey developed by and for school leaders and administered through the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) at the University of Minnesota. The express intent of the survey is to elevate the voices of Minnesota principals and school leaders in decision making that bears on PK-12 education in the state.
The survey includes questions about the responsibilities of principals, their work environments, their ability to do their jobs, and what supports could enhance those abilities. General topics include preparation and development, leadership practices, school improvement, management and decision making, and culture and climate. This year’s survey includes a new section on successes and challenges with student behavior and an updated section on state-level policy.
The survey is intended for principals, assistant or associate principals, directors, co-directors, or those in some other school-level leadership role in a Minnesota publicly-funded elementary, middle, and/or secondary school. The survey is being sent to potential respondents from a statewide list of school leaders published by MDE and supplemented by MASSP and MESPA member lists.
Data collected via the survey will be kept private by a small team of professional researchers at CAREI using state-of-the-art software designed to store data securely. No information will be shared that will make it possible to identify you, your school, or your district.
Summarized, de-identified data from the 2021 and 2023 surveys were compiled into survey reports, recommendation guides, and policy and practice briefs, all of which can be found via the Minnesota Principals Survey homepage. You can also explore summarized 2021 and 2023 MnPS data using our interactive Tableau dashboards. As in 2021 and 2023, we will be reporting de-identified, summary-level results from the 2025 survey in both static reports and interactive (Tableau) dashboards. Key findings and insights have and will continue to be shared via presentations with various stakeholders including MSBA, MASA, MESPA, MASSP, MDE, and policymakers.
We know your time is valuable. We make every effort to reduce participant burden while maintaining the comprehensiveness and utility of the survey. We estimate the survey will take most participants 25-30 minutes.
Publications and Data Tools
Contact
Direct questions to Katie Pekel, Project Lead, at kpekel@umn.edu.
Stay informed
If you would like us to notify you via email when new reports and findings related to the Minnesota Principals Survey are released, provide your contact info here. We will not share your information with anyone.