Q&A

These Q&As feature some of the field's most prominent education scholars, leaders, and practitioners talking about important education issues
Superintendent Mary Catherine Reljac walks around the exhibition hall of the National Conference on Education in Nashville, on Feb. 12, 2026. Reljac is the superintendent for Fox Chapel Area School District in Pennsylvania.
Mary Catherine Reljac walks around the exhibition hall of the National Conference on Education in Nashville on Feb. 12, 2026. Reljac, the superintendent for Fox Chapel Area school district in Pennsylvania, is working to combat chronic absenteeism through data analysis and tailored student support.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
School & District Management Q&A Solving Chronic Absenteeism Isn't 'One-Size-Fits-All,' This Leader Says
Proactive, sensitive communication with families can make a big difference.
Jennifer Vilcarino, February 12, 2026
7 min read
Matthew Montgomery, the superintendent of Lake Forest schools in Ill., during the AASA conference in Nashville on Feb. 11, 2026.
Matthew Montgomery, the superintendent of Lake Forest schools in Illinois, is pictured at the AASA's 2026 National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 11, 2026. The Lake Forest schools established a decisionmaking matrix that informs when the district speaks out on potentially thorny topics.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
School & District Management Q&A When Should a School District Speak Out on Thorny Issues? One Leader's Approach
A superintendent created a matrix for his district to prevent rash decisions.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, February 11, 2026
5 min read
A cellphone sits on a desk at Ferris High School’s World Language Night on Dec. 3, 2025 in Spokane, WA.
A cellphone sits on a desk at Ferris High School’s World Language Night on Dec. 3, 2025 in Spokane, Wash. A new report shows adults want more protection for children when it comes to social media and AI.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Privacy & Security Q&A 'Not Meant for Children': Adults Favor Age Restrictions on Social Media, AI
A new Common Sense Media report reveals that adults want more protection for their data and the privacy of children.
Jennifer Vilcarino, February 9, 2026
4 min read
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 14: Debra McAdams, Executive Director, Department of Exceptional Education at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools visits Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School Of The Arts in Nashville.
Debra McAdams, executive director of the department of exceptional education at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, visits Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 14, 2026.
Brett Carlsen for Education Week
Special Education Q&A Why Inclusive Classrooms Benefit Every Student, Not Just Those With Disabilities
Inclusive practices improve outcomes for all students and require deep system change.
Evie Blad, February 9, 2026
5 min read
Tomball ISD Superintendent Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora poses for a portrait in a warehouse where aviation students can work on planes at the CTE center on January 13, 2026, in Tomball, Texas.
Martha Salazar-Zamora, the superintendent of Texas' Tomball Independent School District, purchased an abandoned industrial site that now houses her district's expansive career-and-technical education program.
Danielle Villasana for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A One Superintendent on How CTE Prepares Students for Tomorrow’s Jobs
A Texas superintendent shares how her district has tackled common problems in growing career and technical education programs.
Arianna Prothero, February 9, 2026
3 min read
Elizabeth Stringer-Nunley, the English Learner Lead for Galax City Public Schools, meets with the Student Assistance Team for Galax High School on Monday morning.
Elizabeth Stringer-Nunley, the English-learner lead for Galax City Public Schools, meets with colleagues at Galax High School in January 2026.
Kate Medley for Education Week
English Learners Q&A Mentors Can Prevent English Learners From Dropping Out. Here’s How
A mentorship program helps this rural district graduate more English learners and Hispanic students.
Lauraine Langreo, February 9, 2026
4 min read
Executive Director of Talent Acquisition for Knox County Schools, Alex Moseman, leads a staffing committee meeting with principals and district leaders at Cedar Bluff Elementary in Knoxville, TN on Jan. 12, 2026.
Alex Moseman, executive director of talent acquisition for Knox County Schools, leads a staffing committee meeting with principals and district leaders at Cedar Bluff Elementary School in Knoxville, Tenn., on Jan. 12, 2026.
Shawn Poynter for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Q&A This District Cracked the Nut on Fully Staffed Schools. Here’s How
Knox County streamlined hiring and empowered principals to beat teacher shortages.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, February 9, 2026
5 min read
Dr. April Brooks, the director of athletics for Jefferson County Public Schools, leads a clinic at Medora Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, January 9, 2026.
Dr. April Brooks, director of athletics for Jefferson County Public Schools, leads a clinic at Medora Elementary School in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 9, 2026.
Madeleine Hordinski for Education Week
Families & the Community Q&A Youth Sports Can Turn Toxic. This District Focuses on Prevention
As sideline behavior worsens, athletic leaders focus on prevention, safety, and resetting expectations.
Elizabeth Heubeck, February 9, 2026
4 min read
District poses for a portrait at the Garden Cafe in Phoenix, Arizona, on Jan 21, 2026.
Cory Alexander, child nutrition director for Osborn School District, poses for a portrait at the Garden Cafe in Phoenix on Jan. 21, 2026.
Adriana Zehbrauskas for Education Week
School & District Management Q&A How a Leader Developed Farm-to-Table School Lunches Without Breaking the Bank
An Arizona school nutrition director discusses how districts can overcome logistical hurdles and negotiate prices.
Sarah Schwartz, February 9, 2026
5 min read
Laurie Lehman, esports district manager for Albuquerque Public Schools, speaks with Tremayne Webb, esports coordinator at Del Norte High School in Albuquerque, N.M., on January 23, 2026.
Laurie Lehman, the esports district manager for New Mexico's Albuquerque Public Schools, speaks with Tremayne Webb, an esports coordinator, at Del Norte High School on January 23, 2026.
Ramsay de Give for Education Week
School & District Management Q&A 'Esports Are a Game-Changer': How This Leader Got Buy-in for Student Gaming
How one district leader turned esports into an opportunity for more than 1,500 students.
Olina Banerji, February 9, 2026
4 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Teaching Opinion Schools Still Miss Instructional Basics. How to Change That
Veteran educator and author Mike Schmoker calls out what he sees as classroom "malpractice."
Rick Hess, February 3, 2026
9 min read
100 years of Black History textured background with a long line of connected people in the foreground.
Erin K. Robinson for Education Week
Social Studies Opinion The 100-Year History of Black History Month
What people get wrong about Black History Month—and why it’s as urgent now as it ever was.
LaGarrett J. King , February 2, 2026
5 min read
Career and Technical Education (CTE) students immersed themselves in realistic disaster situations at Van Buren Tech on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 . The students, ranging from law enforcement, emergency medical technicians, fire and more prepped all year for this day of training.
Strong career and technical education programs offer students experiences to tackle and solve real world problems, experts say. Students participate in disaster simulations at Van Buren Tech in Lawrence, Mich., on May 13, 2025.
Devin Anderson-Torrez/mlive.com via TNS
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A What the Best Career and Technical Programs Have in Common
CTE programs must be rigorous and aligned with economic needs and technological developments.
Arianna Prothero, January 30, 2026
4 min read
Students engage in an AI robotics lesson in Funda Perez’ 4th grade computer applications class at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School No. 6 in Passaic, N.J., on Oct. 14, 2025.
Students engage in an AI robotics lesson at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School No. 6 in Passaic, N.J., on Oct. 14, 2025. A new report from the Brookings Institution outlines the benefits and drawbacks of AI use in education.
Erica S. Lee for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Q&A The Risks and Rewards of AI in School: What to Know
Brookings Institution's report details the best ways to minimize risk and utilize benefits of AI for students.
Jennifer Vilcarino, January 30, 2026
4 min read