District Strategies

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Naomi Tolentino leads a meeting on student attendance at J.C. Harmon High School on Jan. 16, 2025 in Kansas City, Kansas.
District Dilemmas – Solutions for Common District Leader Challenges
District leaders around the country share how they address some of the common challenges they experience.
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Tue., March 10, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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English Language Teacher Olga Dietz, middle, talks with Glenda McKinney, another English Language Teacher, in between classes at Mt.View Elementary School in Antioch, Tenn.
English-learner teacher Olga Dietz, middle, talks with Glenda McKinney, another EL teacher, in between classes at Mt. View Elementary School in Antioch, Tenn., on Dec. 3, 2025. Across the country districts are increasingly in need of these teachers with specialized skills for helping students learning English as the national EL population continues to grow.
William DeShazer for Education Week
English Learners 'They're Our Kids’: How Teaching English Learners Is Changing
As the national English-learner population continues to grow, the role of EL teachers is evolving.
Ileana Najarro, March 4, 2026
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12 min read
Panelists from left: Carlos Gonzalez, superintendent of the Roma Independent district in Texas; John Skretta, superintendent of Lincoln, Neb., schools; Joe Gothard, superintendent of Madison, Wis., schools; Ben Master, a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corp. speak on summer learning and student success at the National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn. on Feb. 13, 2026.
School superintendents, from left, Carlos Gonzalez, of Roma Independent in Texas; John Skretta, of Lincoln, Neb., and Joe Gothard, of Madison, Wis., along with Ben Master, a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corp., discuss summer learning and student success at the National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 13, 2026.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Student Achievement These Districts Turned Summer School Into an Inviting Destination for Students
Community partnerships helped with scheduling challenges. Themed programs heightened student interest.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, March 2, 2026
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6 min read
Illustration of multiplication and division signs with arrow running through them.
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Mathematics Opinion 3 Big Changes My School Is Making to Boost Math Achievement
It’s time for math educators to look inward to keep what's working and fix what's not.
Mark Miller, February 27, 2026
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5 min read
Students at Glover Middle School in Spokane, Wash. make bookmarks and snowflakes during Falcon Time on Dec. 3, 2025.
Students at Glover Middle School in Spokane, Wash. make bookmarks and snowflakes during Falcon Time on Dec. 3, 2025. The district has sought to encourage students to spend less time on devices.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Q&A Cellphones: The 'Most Formidable Adversary' Schools Have Ever Faced
The Spokane schools in Washington paired cellphone restrictions with expanded extracurricular activities.
Alyson Klein, February 20, 2026
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5 min read
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A panel on risky behaviors and district challenges kicks off at the National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn. on Feb. 12, 2026. At the podium is Ashley Dawson, senior project coordinator of children's programs at AASA. At the table, from left: Michael Vuckovich, superintendent of the Windber Area school district; Korie Duryea, the district's special education director; and Jessica Shuster, the director of education.
School officials from Windber, Pa., discussed their fight against student vaping and gambling in a Feb. 12, 2026, panel at the National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn. At the table are, from left, Superintendent Michael Vuckovich; Korie Duryea, the district's special education director; and Jessica Shuster, the director of education. Ashley Dawson, senior project coordinator of children's programs at AASA, The School Superintendents Association and conference host, is at the podium.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement How a District Used Data to Fight Students' Gambling and Vaping
School officials figured out when kids faced the most pressure and worked from there.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, February 12, 2026
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3 min read
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
Student Absenteeism 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
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7 min read
Chase Christensen, superintendent of Sheridan County School District #3 in Wyoming, teamed up with other district leaders in the state to get rid of a barrier to work-based learning. Students can now meet an English course requirement while completing an internship. He presented on the strategy at a conference hosted by AASA, the School Superintendents Association, on Feb. 12, 2026.
Chase Christensen, superintendent of Sheridan County School District #3, presents a panel at the National Conference of Education in Nashville, on Feb. 12, 2026.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness In These Districts, Students Get an English Credit for On-the-Job Internships
Districts must get creative about addressing barriers to student internships, leaders said.
Evie Blad, February 12, 2026
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5 min read
Pedestrians cross a nearly empty street in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S., on Thursday, May 28, 2020. The annual Walmart Inc. shareholder celebration attracts a varied crowd who pour money into the hotels, bars and restaurants in and around the retailer's hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. The Covid-19 pandemic forced Walmart to pivot to a virtual gathering on June 3.
Pedestrians cross a nearly empty street in downtown Bentonville, Ark., on May 28, 2020. The superintendent there has found strategies to recruit and retain educators, including child care and affordable housing for staff.
Terra Fondriest/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Recruitment & Retention District Leaders Want to Retain Talent. They Need to Look Beyond Just Compensation
There are steps K-12 leaders can take to keep teachers and principals in the leadership pipeline, administrators say.
Jennifer Vilcarino, February 11, 2026
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6 min read
Teachers utilize a team teaching model, known as the Next Education Workforce Model, at Stevenson Elementary School in Mesa, Ariz., on Jan 30, 2025.
Teachers utilize a team-teaching model that spreads out teacher expertise and facilitates collaboration at Stevenson Elementary School in Mesa, Ariz., on Jan 30, 2025. Some of those models depend on having coaches and interventionists—positions that risk getting cut during lean budget times.
Adriana Zehbrauskas for Education Week
Teaching Profession K-12 Budgets Are Tightening. Teacher-Leadership Roles Are at Risk
The positions expanded with pandemic-aid funding. With money tighter, how can districts keep them?
Sarah D. Sparks, February 9, 2026
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5 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 Leader To Learn From How Nashville Dismantled Segregated Classrooms for Students With Disabilities
Nashville overhauled special education to prioritize inclusion, and changed school culture.
Evie Blad, February 9, 2026
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8 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
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5 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
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4 min read
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