How to Apply
Participation in The MetLife/NASSP National Principal of the Year Program is available through your State Principal of the Year Program. Because each state’s selection process varies, please contact your state affiliate for information on your state's selection process and deadlines.
Eligibility
This program is designed to recognize the outstanding leadership of active, front-line principals. It is not recognition of service at retirement or a program to reward current state or national leaders. Current members and family members of the NASSP Board of Directors are ineligible.
NASSP must be notified immediately of any change in principalship status. Failure to notify NASSP could jeopardize a candidate’s eligibility for the national award.
- Any principal, headmaster, or leader of a public or private middle level or high school from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, or the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Schools is eligible to be a national principal of the year candidate. Middle level and high schools are defined as those containing some portion of grades 6 through 12.
- All applicants must have served as a principal at one or more middle level or high schools for three years or longer.
- All candidates must complete the MetLife/NASSP National Principal of the Year application.
- Each candidate must be a principal or headmaster and member of NASSP and his or her state affiliate association at the time of selection as state principal of the year. For national finalists, these conditions must also be met at the time of national principal of the year interviews in August and at the national winner announcements in September.
- National applications from one year may be carried over for two consecutive years; however, applicants will be required to submit current letters of recommendation. Previous state and national winners are eligible to reapply for the award after a period of five years.
The 2014 National Application is now available.