Assistant principal interview questions: 23 questions and a scorecard for interviewers
The short answer
Good assistant principal interview questions test how a candidate runs student discipline and behavior systems, observes and coaches teachers, uses data for school improvement, keeps operations and safety on track, communicates with families and supports the principal’s direction. Ask for real cases, such as a serious discipline referral or feedback that changed a teacher’s practice, and listen for the evidence they gathered, the decision they made and how they followed up. Check the must-haves early: in the US, the administrator or principal certificate the state requires, such as the Principal as Instructional Leader certificate in Texas; in England, QTS and any prohibition on Check a teacher’s record, an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information and, for academies, free schools and independent schools, a section 128 check. Score every candidate against the same five criteria so the panel’s decision rests on evidence.
All 23 questions with why you ask each one, what a strong answer shows and follow-ups, plus the assistant principal scorecard and rating guide. Free to download and adapt; no sign-up needed.
When to use these questions
Assistant principals, called deputy or assistant headteachers in England, usually lead student behavior and discipline, observe and coach teachers, run parts of the school’s operations such as schedules, testing and supervision, respond early in many emergencies and carry the principal’s priorities to staff. The interview should show how the candidate makes fair decisions under pressure, gives feedback that changes teaching and turns data into action, using specific students, teachers and incidents rather than leadership language.
Check the must-haves early. In the US, each state sets its own administrator certification: in Texas, for example, the Principal as Instructional Leader certificate allows the holder to serve as a principal or assistant principal in a public school, and the Texas Education Agency lists a master’s degree, a valid classroom teaching certificate, two years of creditable classroom teaching, an approved principal preparation program and the required exam. In England, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ names deputy and assistant headteachers among the roles the Department for Education regards as management, so independent schools, including academies and free schools, must check that the candidate is not subject to a section 128 direction, alongside the enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information and, for anyone employed to teach, a check that they are not prohibited from teaching.
23 assistant principal interview questions
Grouped by what they test. Pick the questions that match the role, ask every candidate the same ones in the same order, and score each answer against the scorecard below.
Student behavior and discipline
Discipline is a large part of most assistant principal roles. Look for a fair process, consistency and follow-up that changes behavior, not just consequences.
Question 1: Walk me through a serious discipline referral you handled, from the moment it reached you to the follow-up a week later.
- Why ask it:
- Shows the candidate’s process, fairness and follow-through on one of the core parts of the role.
- A strong answer shows:
- Gathering statements, hearing the student’s account, applying the code of conduct consistently, contacting the family, documenting the decision and adding support so the behavior is less likely to happen again.
- Follow-up:
- How did you explain the outcome to the teacher who made the referral?
Question 2: Tell me about a schoolwide behavior system you helped build or repair. What changed, and how did you know?
- Why ask it:
- Assistant principals often lead the systems that shape behavior across a whole school.
- A strong answer shows:
- Expectations taught explicitly to students, staff applying them consistently, referral data reviewed regularly, and a measurable change.
Question 3: A student with an IEP is facing a long suspension for an incident that may be linked to their disability. What steps do you take?
- Why ask it:
- Under IDEA, within 10 school days of any decision to change the placement of a student with a disability for a conduct violation, the district, the parent and relevant IEP team members must decide whether the conduct was a manifestation of the disability.
- A strong answer shows:
- Knowing the 10-day rules, involving the special education team and family early, reviewing the IEP and behavior plan, and continuing services where required.
Question 4: How do you check whether discipline is applied consistently across classrooms and student groups?
- Why ask it:
- Inconsistent discipline undermines students’ and families’ trust in the school.
- A strong answer shows:
- Regular review of referral and suspension data by classroom, offense and student group, and concrete action, such as clearer criteria or coaching for staff, when patterns appear.
Question 5: One teacher sends the same student to your office three times in a week. What do you do beyond handling each referral?
- Why ask it:
- Repeated referrals usually signal that the student, the teacher or both need support.
- A strong answer shows:
- Looking for causes, meeting the teacher and family, putting a support plan in place and coaching the teacher on classroom strategies.
Teacher observation and coaching
Ask for specific teachers and lessons. Strong instructional leaders give a small number of precise, actionable steps and check that they happened.
Question 6: Describe a lesson you observed recently: what you saw, the feedback you gave and what the teacher changed.
- Why ask it:
- Observation and feedback are central to the assistant principal’s instructional role.
- A strong answer shows:
- Specific evidence from the lesson, one or two high-leverage action steps, practice or modeling, and a follow-up visit that showed the change.
Question 7: How do you give hard feedback to an experienced teacher who doesn’t think anything needs to change?
- Why ask it:
- Tests credibility and directness with veteran staff.
- A strong answer shows:
- Evidence from the classroom and student work, respectful directness, a link to student outcomes and a clear, supported plan.
Question 8: Tell me about a teacher you supported through a formal improvement plan. How did it end?
- Why ask it:
- Assistant principals often manage formal support and evaluation processes that must be fair and well documented.
- A strong answer shows:
- Clear expectations, documented support and timelines, following the district’s or school’s procedure, and an honest outcome either way.
Question 9: How do you support teachers in their first year?
- Why ask it:
- Early support shapes new teachers’ practice and whether they stay.
- A strong answer shows:
- Structured induction, frequent short visits with quick feedback, a mentor, and practical help with behavior and planning.
Question 10: How do you make sure your evaluation ratings line up with those of other evaluators in the building?
- Why ask it:
- Calibrated ratings are fairer to teachers and more credible.
- A strong answer shows:
- Co-observing with the principal or peers, comparing evidence against the rubric and resolving differences before ratings are final.
Data, school improvement and the principal’s vision
Look for candidates who move from data to specific action, and who can carry the principal’s priorities even when they would have chosen differently.
Question 11: Tell me about a school improvement goal you owned. Where did the data start, what did you do and what happened?
- Why ask it:
- Tests whether the candidate can turn data into action and results.
- A strong answer shows:
- A specific baseline, targeted actions, regular monitoring and an honest account of the result.
- Follow-up:
- What would you do differently if you started again?
Question 12: How do you run a data meeting with a grade-level or department team so it changes what happens in classrooms?
- Why ask it:
- Data meetings only matter if teaching changes afterwards.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear protocol focused on specific students and skills, agreed actions with owners and a follow-up date.
Question 13: Tell me about a time you disagreed with a principal’s decision. What did you do?
- Why ask it:
- Assistant principals have to carry the principal’s direction to staff.
- A strong answer shows:
- Raising the disagreement privately with reasons, then supporting the decision publicly and consistently, escalating only on matters of safety, law or ethics.
Question 14: If we hired you, how would you spend your first term getting to know this school before changing anything?
- Why ask it:
- Shows how the candidate learns a school before changing it.
- A strong answer shows:
- Listening to staff, students and families, learning the data and systems, early wins agreed with the principal and no sweeping changes before understanding the school.
Operations, safety and community
Assistant principals keep the building running and are often first on the scene. Ask for real schedules, incidents and difficult conversations.
Question 15: Walk me through a master schedule, duty roster or testing plan you were responsible for.
- Why ask it:
- Operational work keeps the school running and shows planning under constraints.
- A strong answer shows:
- Planning backward from fixed constraints, consulting the people affected, building in contingencies and communicating changes clearly.
Question 16: Tell me about an emergency or serious safety incident you managed at school. What did you do in the first ten minutes, and what changed afterwards?
- Why ask it:
- Assistant principals are often among the first to respond when something goes wrong.
- A strong answer shows:
- Following the emergency plan, accounting for every student, communicating with staff, emergency services and families, and a debrief that improved procedures.
- Follow-up:
- What did you tell families, and when?
Question 17: A colleague tells you they are worried about another staff member’s behavior toward a student. What do you do?
- Why ask it:
- Leaders must act on concerns about adults, and in England such concerns go to the headteacher, who considers whether to refer them to the local authority designated officer (LADO).
- A strong answer shows:
- Taking it seriously, recording it, not investigating alone or alerting the staff member, and following the allegations procedure through the principal or headteacher, the district or the LADO.
Question 18: A parent’s angry post about a teacher is spreading on social media. What do you do?
- Why ask it:
- Tests communication with the community under pressure.
- A strong answer shows:
- Contacting the parent directly, listening, looking into the facts fairly, supporting the teacher, agreeing any public response with the principal and not arguing online.
Question 19: How do you keep families informed and involved, including those who rarely come to school?
- Why ask it:
- Family partnership is part of most assistant principal roles.
- A strong answer shows:
- Several channels, translated communication where needed, meeting families at convenient times and places, and positive contact as well as problems.
Must-haves and logistics
Ask these of every candidate before the panel interview, and verify the answers.
Question 20: Which administrator or principal certificate do you hold, from which state, and when does it expire? (In England: what is your teacher reference number, and which leadership qualifications, such as the NPQ in senior leadership, have you completed?)
- Why ask it:
- Each US state sets its own administrator certification, and in England Check a teacher’s record shows QTS and national professional qualifications.
- A strong answer shows:
- Credential details you verify on the state’s lookup, such as the Texas Education Agency’s Certificate Lookup, or on Check a teacher’s record.
Question 21: Will you consent to every background check the role requires? (In England: do you hold an enhanced DBS certificate with children’s barred list information, and for an academy, free school or independent school, will you consent to a section 128 check?)
- Why ask it:
- Check a teacher’s record does not show whether someone may manage a school, so academies, free schools and independent schools in England must also check that a candidate for a management post is not subject to a section 128 direction.
- A strong answer shows:
- Consent to all checks and accurate certificate details.
Question 22: Walk us through your full employment history, including any gaps, and name the principals or headteachers who can act as referees.
- Why ask it:
- England’s safer recruitment guidance asks panels to see a full employment history and probe gaps or frequent moves, and references from line managers show how the candidate leads.
- A strong answer shows:
- A complete, consistent history and referees who supervised the candidate in a leadership role.
Question 23: The role covers [grade span, areas such as discipline, special education, testing or athletics, evening and weekend events, and start date]. Can you do these tasks, with or without adjustments, and when could you start?
- Why ask it:
- Rules out mismatches on responsibilities and schedule early.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear yes or the specific constraint, and a firm start date.
Assistant principal interview scorecard
Five criteria for this role, with what a score of 1, 3 and 5 looks like. Scores of 2 and 4 sit between them.
| Criterion | What it means | Score 1 looks like | Score 3 looks like | Score 5 looks like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student behavior and discipline | Applies discipline fairly and builds systems that improve behavior. | Describes discipline only as consequences, with no process or follow-up. | A fair process, consistent use of the code of conduct and contact with families. | Fair, well-documented decisions, attention to patterns in the data and systems that reduce repeat incidents. |
| Instructional leadership | Observes and coaches teachers so practice improves. | General praise or criticism with no specific evidence or follow-up. | Evidence-based feedback with clear next steps. | Precise, prioritized coaching that teachers act on, with calibrated, defensible evaluations. |
| Data and school improvement | Turns data into actions and results. | Talks about data only in general terms. | A clear example of using data to target an improvement. | Owns measurable goals, monitors progress and adjusts, and reports results honestly. |
| Operations and safety | Runs schedules, supervision and emergencies reliably. | Vague about emergency steps or operational responsibilities. | Handles schedules and incidents competently using the school’s plans. | Anticipates problems, leads calmly in emergencies and improves procedures afterwards. |
| Communication and alignment | Communicates well with staff and families and supports the principal’s direction. | Criticizes past principals, or avoids difficult conversations with families. | Handles complaints calmly and supports agreed decisions. | Builds trust with staff and families and carries the principal’s priorities consistently, raising disagreement privately. |
The 1–5 rating scale
The same scale for every criterion and every candidate.
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Well below requirement | No relevant evidence, or an answer that contradicts the requirement. |
| 2 | Below requirement | Partial evidence with important gaps. |
| 3 | Meets requirement | Clear, relevant evidence at the level the role needs. |
| 4 | Above requirement | Strong, specific evidence beyond the expected level. |
| 5 | Exceptional | Repeated high-quality evidence with clear impact. |
How to run the interview with these assistant principal interview questions
- 01
Step 01
Agree the must-haves first
Confirm the essential credentials, experience and availability with the hiring manager or client before any interviews. - 02
Step 02
Pick 8 to 12 questions
Take the must-have questions, then the questions that test what this role needs most. Use the same set, in the same order, for every candidate. - 03
Step 03
Ask for real examples
When you hear “we” or “I would”, ask what the candidate personally did, and what happened in the end. - 04
Step 04
Score before you discuss
Rate each criterion on the scorecard with the evidence behind it, then compare with other interviewers. - 05
Step 05
Verify before you submit
Check licenses, certifications and right to work against the original source before you put the candidate forward.
Red flags, and questions not to ask
- Describing discipline only as punishment, or being unable to explain how they keep it consistent and fair.
- No specific example of feedback that changed a teacher’s practice.
- Unaware of the extra steps for disciplining students with disabilities, or of how to handle a concern about a staff member.
- Criticizing former principals, or describing disagreements played out in front of staff.
- Credential details that don’t match the state lookup or Check a teacher’s record, or reluctance to consent to checks.
- Age, marital or family status, pregnancy or plans for children, religion, ethnicity or national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity. These are protected characteristics under the UK Equality Act 2010 and US federal law, and they say nothing about whether someone can do the job.
- Health, sickness absence or disability before an offer. You can ask whether the candidate needs any adjustments for the interview, and whether they can do the essential tasks of the job.
Screen assistant principal applicants before the first call
Add these questions to a Beatview AI interview and every applicant answers them on video or audio, with the same time limit. Beatview scores each answer against your criteria and shows the reasoning, and you can share the shortlist with your client through a password-protected link. AI interviews are on the Pro plan; the Free plan screens resumes for one active job.
Assistant principal interview questions: frequently asked questions
Still deciding?
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Ask for real examples that test discipline and behavior systems, teacher observation and coaching, data and school improvement, operations and safety, and communication with families and the principal, such as a serious referral they handled or feedback that changed a teacher’s practice. Add must-have questions on certification, background checks, employment history and responsibilities, and ask every candidate the same questions in the same order.
In the US, each state sets its own administrator certification, so check the requirements and the candidate’s certificate with the state education agency. In Texas, for example, the Principal as Instructional Leader certificate allows the holder to serve as a principal or assistant principal in a public school, and the Texas Education Agency lists a master’s degree, a valid classroom teaching certificate, two years of creditable classroom teaching, an approved principal preparation program and the required exam. In England, verify QTS and NPQs on Check a teacher’s record, obtain an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list information and, in academies, free schools and independent schools, check that the candidate is not subject to a section 128 direction, which Check a teacher’s record does not show.
The roles are similar: both are senior leaders who share responsibility for behavior, teaching quality and operations under the principal or headteacher. One difference in England is that only the headteacher can suspend or permanently exclude a pupil, and an acting headteacher is not necessarily the deputy, because it depends on who is appointed to act. In the US, check your district’s policy on who can suspend, and for students with disabilities, IDEA adds rules, including a manifestation determination within 10 school days of any decision to change placement for a conduct violation.
Yes, where you can. Useful options are watching a short lesson, live or on video, and giving the teacher feedback, or an in-tray exercise with a discipline referral, a parent complaint and a scheduling problem to prioritize. Score the task against the same five criteria as the interview, and include teachers on the panel if your process allows.
Get the assistant principal interview questions template
All 23 questions with why you ask each one, what a strong answer shows and follow-ups, plus the assistant principal scorecard and rating guide.
Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. Version 2 October 2026.
Sources: Texas Education Agency: 19 TAC Chapter 241, certification as principal; Texas Education Agency: becoming a principal or superintendent in Texas; Texas Education Agency: Certificate Lookup; eCFR: 34 CFR 300.530, authority of school personnel (IDEA discipline); GOV.UK: Keeping children safe in education (statutory guidance); GOV.UK: Check a teacher’s record; GOV.UK: School suspensions and permanent exclusions; GOV.UK: National professional qualification (NPQ) courses. This template is general guidance, not legal advice.