Principals

Education news, analysis, and opinion that focuses on principals and their roles in K-12 schools

Interactive

Hour by Busy Hour: What a Principal's Day Actually Looks Like
From the time they wake up until they set the alarm at night, school leaders juggle the routine, the unexpected, and the downright bizarre.
Valley View Elementary School principal Jason Kuhlman delivers food donations to families from the school Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Columbia Heights, Minn.
Valley View Elementary School Principal Jason Kuhlman delivers food donations to school families on Feb. 3, 2026, in Columbia Heights, Minn. School leaders in the Twin Cities have been trying to assuage the fears of over immigration enforcement.
Liam James Doyle/AP
School & District Management What School Leaders Should Do When Parents Are Detained (DOWNLOADABLE)
School leaders are increasingly in need of guidance due to heightened immigration enforcement.
Ileana Najarro, February 17, 2026
1 min read
In this image provided by NAESP, elementary school principals gathered on Capitol Hill recently to meet with their state's congressional delegations in Washington
Elementary school principals gathered on Capitol Hill on Feb. 11, 2026,<ins data-user-label="Madeline Will" data-time="02/12/2026 11:53:27 AM" data-user-id="00000175-2522-d295-a175-a7366b840000" data-target-id=""> </ins>to meet with their state's congressional delegations in Washington. They advocated for lawmakers to protect federal K-12 investments.
John Simms/NAESP
School & District Management On Capitol Hill, Relieved Principals Press for Even More Federal Support
With the fiscal 2026 budget maintaining level K-12 funding, principals look to the future.
Olina Banerji, February 12, 2026
7 min read
Photo of group meeting with questions and answers session
iStock
Professional Development Principals Need PD, Too. Here’s What They List as Top Priorities
Teacher retention and improving academic performance often top the list.
Olina Banerji, February 5, 2026
5 min read
Businesswoman and businessman HR manager interviewing woman. Candidate female sitting her back to camera, focus on her, close up rear view, interviewers on background. Human resources, hiring concept
iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention Principals Can Make or Break Schools. How Districts Find the Right Fit
Gauging job candidates' readiness for the challenges of running a school is not easy.
Olina Banerji, January 30, 2026
5 min read
High school students protest during a walkout in opposition to President Donald Trump's policies Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Los Angeles. A survey published in December shows how the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda is upending educators’ ability to create stable learning environments as escalated enforcement depresses attendance and hurts academic achievement.
High school students protest during a walkout in opposition to President Donald Trump's immigration policies on Jan. 20, 2026, in Los Angeles. A survey published in December shows how the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda is challenging educators’ ability to create stable learning environments.
Jill Connelly/AP
School & District Management Heightened Immigration Enforcement Is Weighing on Most Principals
A new survey of high school principals highlights how immigration enforcement is affecting schools.
Ileana Najarro, January 29, 2026
5 min read
A figure looking in the mirror viewing their previous selves. Reflection of school career. School leaders, passage of time.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion What a Conversation About My Marriage Taught Me About Running a School
As principals grow into the role, we must find the courage to ask hard questions about our leadership.
Ian Knox, January 27, 2026
4 min read
Photo of school officials having conversation.
iStock
School & District Management How Principals Are Coaching the Next Generation of School Leaders
Mentors give aspiring school leaders an unvarnished view of the principalship.
Olina Banerji, January 21, 2026
6 min read
Principal and apprentice having a conversation in school courtyard.
E+
School & District Management How These 3 States Are Building a Principal Pipeline
Principal apprenticeship programs aim to remove barriers to school leadership.
Olina Banerji, January 14, 2026
5 min read
Modern collage of a school leader contemplating an AI toolbox
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion Four Ways I Use AI as a Principal (and One Way I Never Will)
AI can’t replace the human side of school leadership, but it can give us more time in the day.
S. Kambar Khoshaba, January 13, 2026
4 min read
Collaged image of school principal resolutions for the new year
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion 14 New Year’s Resolutions to Inspire School Leaders
For inspiration on how to make the most of your second reset of the school year, we checked in with contributors to The Principal Is In column.
Mary Hendrie, December 31, 2025
1 min read
Illustration of a male figure juggling plates above him.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Principal by Day, DJ by Night: What School Leaders Learn From Their Side Hustles
Paid or unpaid, side hustles can teach principals new skills that help them run schools.
Olina Banerji, December 31, 2025
5 min read
Photo of principals concentrating during training class.
E+
School & District Management These Are the New Skills Principals Want to Learn
Hint: It's not all about AI.
Olina Banerji, December 29, 2025
3 min read
A teacher sitting with a group of students with clearly marked boundaries around each of them.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion When Teachers Get in Trouble, It’s Rarely Bad Intentions. It’s Bad Boundaries
Here are 3 strategies principals can offer teachers to guide—not restrict—their care for students.
Brooklyn Raney, December 16, 2025
4 min read
Edenton, N.C. - September 5th, 2025: Sonya Rinehart, principal at John A. Holmes High School, stopped to briefly speak with former student (graduated) Jataziun Welch that is working with a local business downtown Edenton.
Sonya Rinehart, the principal of John A. Holmes High School in Edenton, N.C., stopped to briefly speak with former student Jataziun Welch, who is working with a local business in downtown Edenton on Sept. 5, 2025. School leaders have been viewed as community leaders, too. Here are five ways they can embrace the role.
Cornell Watson for Education Week
Families & the Community Five Ways Principals Can Act Like Community Ambassadors
Here are tips for how principals can best support their community.
Jennifer Vilcarino, November 26, 2025
3 min read