Leadership

Education news, analysis, and opinion about effective school and district leadership
Equity & Diversity Opinion Students: Racial Justice Demands More Than a Lawn Sign
Our progressive town is full of “Black Lives Matter” yard signs and Instagram posts. So why do our schools still have huge racial disparities?
Julian Taylor & Phoenix Garayùa-Tudryn
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5 min read
School Climate & Safety What the Research Says 'High-Surveillance' Schools Lead to More Suspensions, Lower Achievement
Cameras, drug sweeps, and other surveillance increase exclusionary discipline, regardless of actual student misbehavior, new research finds.
Sarah D. Sparks
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5 min read
School Climate & Safety From Our Research Center Rising Numbers of Educators Say Pandemic Is Now Blown Out of Proportion, Survey Shows
An EdWeek Research Center survey shows that nearly 3 of every 10 educators believe the pandemic is no longer a real threat to schools.
Holly Kurtz
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4 min read
Equity & Diversity Opinion The Chauvin Verdict Is in. Now What?
Justice has been served in the murder of George Floyd, but educators must recommit to the fight for racial equity, writes Tyrone C. Howard.

Tyrone C. Howard
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4 min read
People gather at Cup Foods after a guilty verdict was announced at the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin for the 2020 death of George Floyd, on April 20, 2021, in Minneapolis, Minn. Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of Floyd.
Following the announcement of the guilty verdicts in the George Floyd murder trial this week, people gather outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis.<br/>
Morry Gash/AP
School & District Management Opinion Have School Reopening Decisions Been Driven by Union Influence?
Rick Hess speaks with Corey DeAngelis about his findings that districts in areas with stronger unions were less likely to reopen in person.
Rick Hess
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6 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Equity & Diversity 4 Ways George Floyd's Murder Has Changed How We Talk About Race and Education
Floyd’s tragic death and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests evolved the discourse about structural racism in American schools.
Stephen Sawchuk
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9 min read
Tyshawn, 9, left, and his brother Tyler, 11, right, of Baltimore, hold signs saying "Black Lives Matter" and "I Can't Breathe" as they sit on a concrete barrier near a police line as demonstrators protest along a section of 16th Street that has been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington on June 24, 2020.
Tyshawn, 9, left, and his brother Tyler, 11, right, of Baltimore, hold signs saying "Black Lives Matter" and "I Can't Breathe" as they sit on a concrete barrier at a demonstration near the White House in the summer of 2020.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
School & District Management Female Principals Are Paid Less Than Men. That’s a Big Concern
A gender pay gap in the principalship can affect recruitment and turnover.
Denisa R. Superville
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5 min read
A conceptual image of gender pay gap.
hyejin kang/iStock/Getty

  • Leaders To Learn From

    We are excited to reveal our 2021 Leaders To Learn From honorees. These cutting-edge district leaders met their students’ and staffs’ needs during the pandemic and other challenges.

    Meet the 2021 Leaders

    1 / 10
    I don’t believe any of us have true success in solitude.
    Anna Heyer, District Science Specialist for the Flowing Wells Unified School District in Tucson, Ariz. Anna Heyer, science coordinator, Flowing Wells Unified School District
    I want all teachers, including teachers of color, to be authentically themselves in the classroom.
    Baron Davis, Superintendent of Richland School District Two, in Columbia, S.C. Baron Davis, superintendent, Richland School District Two
    Teachers are professionals, and they’re experts in their content and their grade level. They’re going to be the ones to tell us if it works or not.
    Danielle Kelsick, Chief Academic Officer for the Environmental Charter Schools in Redondo Beach, Calif. Danielle Kelsick, chief academic officer, Environmental Charter Schools
    We always say that parents are partners, not the problem. We get more done and we get more right when we are working in partnership with our parents.
    Nicolai Vitti and Sharlonda Buckman of Detroit Community Schools in Detroit, Mich. Sharlonda Buckman, assistant superintendent of family and community engagement, Detroit Community Schools
    If I can advocate for a school system and I can advocate for opportunities and exposure for our kids to make it better, I feel compelled to do it.
    Valerie Bridges, Superintendent of Edgecombe County Schools in Tarboro, N.C. Valerie Bridges, superintendent, Edgecombe County Public Schools
    Part of my passion for what I do now is, people need to know that this exists. But I also know we need to handle it delicately because you don't want people to feel bad.
    Amy Perusse, homeless education coordinator for Everett School District in Washington, has kept track of and coordinated services for her students across county lines during the pandemic. Amy Perusse, coordinator of the homeless Kids in Transition program, Everett, Wash.
    All of our kids are capable. We’re planting the seed that college is a possibility, and that life can be better.
    Quincy Natay, superintendent of the Chinle Unified School District in Arizona. Quincy Natay, Superintendent, Chinle Unified School District
    I tell everybody, we have the technology infrastructure of a Fortune 500 company, even though we are very small in comparison.
    Doug Vander Linden, Director of Educational Technology – Burlington Unified School District, Kansas Doug Vander Linden, director of educational technology, Burlington Unified School District 244
    [The PD course] is a desired activity versus a required activity. That has to be the sweetest piece of the system.
    Jason Hodgson, director of professional development at the Panama-Buena Vista Unified School District in Bakersfield, Calif. Jason Hodgson, director of professional development, Panama-Buena Vista Union School District
    We don’t make decisions for them. We make decisions with them.
    Carissa Purnell, director of the family resource centers for the Alisal Union School District in Salinas, Calif. Carissa Purnell, director of family resource centers, Alisal Union School District

More Leadership

  • Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
    iStock/Getty
    Professional Development Opinion 10 Strategies for Building a Professional Learning Community
    Four educators share suggestions for how teachers can build online and in-person professional learning communities.
    Larry Ferlazzo, April 21, 2021
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    14 min read
    George Floyd's name is written on a sidewalk near the intersection of Florence and Normandie Avenues in Los Angeles on April 20, 2021, after a guilty verdict was announced at the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the 2020 death of George Floyd.
    George Floyd's name is written on a sidewalk near the intersection of Florence and Normandie Avenues in Los Angeles this week after a guilty verdict was announced at the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the 2020 death of George Floyd.
    Jae C. Hong/AP
    Equity & Diversity Discussing the Derek Chauvin Trial in Class: How Teachers Are Doing It and Why
    Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd. Black teachers say not addressing racism does a disservice to students and themselves.
    Eesha Pendharkar, April 20, 2021
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    4 min read
    A Jefferson County School District student receives takes several bags with free meals delivered by a school bus in Fayette, Miss. As schools transitioned to remote learning during the pandemic, buses that once transported students now deliver meals and internet access. Those interruptions have made it more difficult to identify students at risk of homelessness.
    A student receives free meals delivered by a school bus in Fayette, Miss. During the pandemic, buses that once transported students now deliver meals and internet access. Those interruptions have made it more difficult to identify students at risk of homelessness.
    Rogelio V. Solis/AP
    Student Well-Being As Schools Weigh How to Use New Aid for Homeless Students, Finding Them Is Step One
    Schools are getting $800 million in federal aid for homeless students, but also must locate those who newly qualify due to the pandemic.
    Evie Blad, April 20, 2021
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    10 min read
    Jefferson County Elementary School children sit at desks and eat their school-supplied breakfasts in Fayette, Miss., on March 3, 2021. As one of the most food insecure counties in the United States, many families and their children have come to depend on these meals as their only means of daily sustenance.
    Jefferson County Elementary School children sit at desks and eat their school-supplied breakfasts in Fayette, Miss., on March 3, 2021. As one of the most food insecure counties in the United States, many families and their children have come to depend on these meals as their only means of daily sustenance.
    Rogelio V. Solis/AP
    Student Well-Being Citing Pandemic, USDA Waives School Meal Regulations Through June 2022
    The USDA has extended regulatory waivers that will allow schools to more easily serve free meals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Evie Blad, April 20, 2021
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    2 min read
    Kekai Andrade, of Grand Rapids, takes part in a Justice for Daunte Wright rally in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., on April 16, 2021.
    Kekai Andrade, of Grand Rapids, takes part in a Justice for Daunte Wright rally in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., on April 16, 2021.
    Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP
    Equity & Diversity Minn. Students Walk Out of Class to Protest Racial Injustice
    Students from dozens of schools walked out of class in a coordinated protest against racial injustice and the killing of Daunte Wright.
    Erin Golden, Star Tribune, April 19, 2021
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    5 min read
    West Jefferson High School seniors get their temperature checked before entering the Harvey, La., school as students return for in-person learning during the coronavirus pandemic on Aug. 31, 2020.
    West Jefferson High School seniors get their temperature checked before entering the Harvey, La., school.
    Chris Granger/The Advocate via AP
    Budget & Finance FEMA Will Cover Some COVID-19 Staffing Costs for Schools
    FEMA is offering to reimburse the costs of pandemic expenses for work performed after Jan. 21. Here's how to get your district's share.
    Mark Lieberman, April 19, 2021
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    3 min read
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As educators and leaders consider how SEL fits into their reopening and back-to-school plans, it must go beyond an SEL curriculum. SEL is part of who we are as educators and students, as well as
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Student Achievement Webinar The Fall K-3 Classroom: What the data imply about composition, challenges and opportunities
The data tracking learning loss among the nation’s schoolchildren confirms that things are bad and getting worse. The data also tells another story — one with serious implications for the hoped for learning recovery initiatives
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Resources

Student Well-Being Spotlight Spotlight on Post-Pandemic Communications
In this Spotlight, review lessons from other leaders, evaluate what can be done to address the situations experienced and more.
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Education Funding Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Using The American Rescue Plan Act to Support Hybrid-Learning?
Quiz Yourself: How well do you know the American Rescue Plan?
Content provided by ConexED
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Student Well-Being Whitepaper Accelerating Learning Through Meaningful PBL
Learn what the experts say about growing student engagement and accelerating learning during this unprecedented time.
Content provided by Defined Learning
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Reading & Literacy Whitepaper The Power of Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction
From breaking down barriers to equity to moving beyond skills-based instruction, this informative guide showcases the words and ideas of ...
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