2026 EdWeek Leaders To Learn From
Highlighting excellence in school district leadership
We are excited to introduce our 2026 class of EdWeek Leaders To Learn From. These district leaders have shown persistence and creativity as they navigate the challenges facing schools in an increasingly diverse, rapidly changing world.
We are bringing our readers deeply reported profiles of their work as well as bite-sized interviews in which the leaders explain how they approached widely shared challenges in their own voices.
- School & District Management Leader To Learn From How One Arizona District Turned School Cafeterias Into Scratch KitchensOsborn schools built a scratch-cooked, local lunch program—one careful step at a time.
💡 How a Leader Developed Farm-to-Table School Lunches Without Breaking the Bank
Student Well-Being & Movement Leader To Learn From Meet the ‘Sports Lady’ Reenergizing Her District's AthleticsThis athletics leader is working to reverse post-pandemic declines, especially for girls.
💡 Youth Sports Can Turn Toxic. This District Focuses on Prevention
- School & District Management Leader To Learn From How This Leader Uses Gaming to Change Students’ LivesLaurie Lehman helped her district see the power of esports to illuminate new career paths for students.
💡 'Esports Are a Game-Changer': How This Leader Got Buy-in for Student Gaming
Special Education Leader To Learn From How Nashville Dismantled Segregated Classrooms for Students With DisabilitiesNashville overhauled special education to prioritize inclusion, and changed school culture.
💡 Why Inclusive Classrooms Benefit Every Student, Not Just Those With Disabilities
- Recruitment & Retention Leader To Learn From The ‘Off-Season’ That Helps This HR Director Fully Staff SchoolsKnox County reimagined teacher hiring and is starting each year fully staffed.
💡 This District Cracked the Nut on Fully Staffed Schools. Here’s How
College & Workforce Readiness Leader To Learn From A Superintendent’s Vision Turned an Oil Site Into a Career LaunchpadA Houston-area superintendent turned a bankrupt industrial site into a CTE powerhouse and revenue source for her district.
💡One Superintendent on How CTE Prepares Students for Tomorrow’s Jobs
- English Learners Leader To Learn From How One Rural District Used College Students to Keep English Learners in SchoolThis leader's mentorship program with a local university has helped rural English learners at risk of dropping out.
💡Mentors Can Prevent English Learners From Dropping Out. Here’s How
