District Leadership

Learn more about the work of district-level leaders including superintendents, chief academic officers, and other administrators
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2023 Leaders To Learn From
We're excited to reveal our 2023 honorees. These district leaders have shown persistence and creativity as they navigate the challenges facing schools in a rapidly changing world.
Meet the 2023 Leaders

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School & District Management Opinion How to Build a More Effective School Board
Board members are well-intentioned, but they've been mis-trained into focusing on adult inputs rather than student needs.
Rick Hess, March 16, 2023
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5 min read
Photo of wood block with letters Q & A.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
School & District Management Q&A How Succession Planning Can Help Close the Gender Gap for Superintendents
Whitney Oakley of the Guilford County, N.C. district discusses how formal and informal leadership opportunities opened doors to the top job.
Denisa R. Superville, March 14, 2023
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8 min read
Art Cavazos
Art Cavazos, the former superintendent of Harlingen school district, said it's important to give potential successors the chance to build their skills and test their capabilities.
AP
Recruitment & Retention Building the Superintendent Pipeline: Advice From 3 District Leaders
Creating a deep pool of talent pays dividends, superintendents say.
Sarah Schwartz, March 8, 2023
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2 min read
Photo of superintendent meeting with staff.
E+ / Getty
School & District Management Employee Morale Is Keeping Superintendents Up at Night
But district leaders themselves feel more optimistic, possibly a rebound from the height of the pandemic.
Evie Blad, February 24, 2023
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3 min read
Image of street signs: (1) Stop sign, and (2) Gun Free School Zone.
Education Week and sshepard/iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety A Superintendent Left His Gun in a School Restroom. A Student Found It
A Texas superintendent has resigned after a student found his gun unattended. The incident follows debates over arming teachers.
Evie Blad, February 22, 2023
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4 min read
Protesters hold signs at a Moms for Liberty rally at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on October 9, 2021. About 100 people attended the rally to protest mask and vaccine mandates.
Protesters gather at a Moms for Liberty rally against mask and vaccine mandates at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 9, 2021.
Paul Weaver/Sipa via AP Images
Families & the Community What the Push for Parents’ Rights Means for Schools
Conservative parents and politicians are pushing for parents' bills of rights, but what they actually mean for schools is untested.
Libby Stanford, February 22, 2023
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11 min read
Andrew Houlihan is the superintendent in Union County and developed a high-dosage tutoring strategy to combat student learning loss. Pictured here on Dec. 16, 2021.
Andrew Houlihan, the superintendent of the Union County schools in North Carolina, led the development of a high-dosage tutoring strategy to combat student learning loss.
Alex Boerner for Education Week
School & District Management Q&A How a Successful Superintendent Takes Stock Mid-Year
The halfway point in the school year is a good time to reassess goals, measure progress, and reflect.
Alyson Klein, February 21, 2023
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3 min read
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Equity & Diversity Opinion What I Learned About America's Enslavement of People Shaped My District's DEI Efforts
Before he could make his school more welcoming, a superintendent explains how he had to challenge his own perceptions first.
Charles V. Khoury , February 20, 2023
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6 min read
Soft focus image of business people at table.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
School & District Management Newly Named Superintendent of the Year Focuses on Seeing Students as Individuals
Kevin McGowan leads the Brighton Central School District in Rochester, N.Y.
Caitlynn Peetz, February 17, 2023
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2 min read
A blue-toned illustration shows an overhead view of a group of people standing in a circle and holding hands.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
School & District Management Difficult Times Call for a New Approach to District Leadership, Author Says
Superintendents must adopt a leadership posture of trusting and inspiring educators to lead through a moment of rapid change, author says.
Evie Blad, February 17, 2023
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3 min read
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iStock/Getty Images
Privacy & Security It Takes an Entire District to Prevent a Cyberattack: 5 Tips
One of the biggest challenges in making cybersecurity policies work is getting everyone engaged.
Lauraine Langreo, February 15, 2023
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3 min read
Adult male teaching a lecture from desktop PC at computer lab.
E+
Classroom Technology Q&A Why Superintendents Must See Themselves as Ed-Tech Leaders
David Schuler, AASA's incoming executive director, is taking on the helm of the organization at a critical moment for education technology.
Alyson Klein, February 13, 2023
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2 min read
Chimere Stephens, Senior Director of Diversity and Recruitment for the New York City Department of Education, reads a book to a class of K-2 students at PS 55 elementary school in the Bronx, New York., January 19, 2023.
Chimere Stephens, senior director of diversity and recruitment in the New York City public schools system, reads to a class of K-2 students at PS 55, an elementary school in the Bronx.
Mostafa Bassim for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Photos The Making of a Leaders To Learn From Cover
An inside look at the 2023 cover for EdWeek's annual Leaders To Learn From special issue.
Jaclyn Borowski , February 13, 2023
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1 min read
Anthony Vargas, the supervisor of gifted and talented and advanced programs, judges and advises 6th grade student projects prepared for the National History Day contest at Baldwin Intermediate School in Manassas, Va., on December 6, 2022.
Anthony Vargas, the supervisor of gifted and talented and advanced programs, judges presentations by 6th graders at Baldwin Intermediate School in Manassas, Va. The students, in the gifted education program, were preparing for a National History Day contest.
Valerie Plesch for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Q&A A Formula for Creating More Equitable Gifted and Talented Programs
Anthony Vargas in Manassas, Va., has nearly doubled the number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the district's gifted program.
Elizabeth Heubeck, February 6, 2023
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4 min read
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