Leadership

Education news, analysis, and opinion about effective school and district leadership

EdWeek Leaders To Learn From

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.
Meet the 2026 Leaders

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It’s really hard to change somebody’s habit when they are in their 60s, and they’re having congestive heart failure. I wanted to make a difference in somebody’s life earlier on.

Cory Alexander, Director of Child Nutrition, Osborn School District, Ariz.

So one of the things that I really took charge of was: How do we get females back into sports?

April Brooks, Executive Director of Athletics and Activities, Jefferson County Public Schools, Ky.

I love breaking the mold and breaking the rules and bringing esports as an ambassador. I love it.

Laurie Lehman, Esports District Manager, Albuquerque Public Schools

We are all part of one big community, and the earlier that everybody understands that for all of our students, the more accepting everyone is.

Debra McAdams, Executive Director of the Department of Exceptional Education, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Tenn.

I want to get to this 24/7 always-open concept ... and not miss out on anyone who wants to work here.

Alex Moseman, Executive Director of Talent Acquisition, Knox County Schools, Tenn.

Purchasing the oil and gas company site, which is now the Tomball Innovation Center, it was a dream in my head that grew and grew and grew.

Martha Salazar-Zamora, Superintendent, Tomball Independent School District, Texas

As many times as I would say, ‘There are so many opportunities,’ [I know] I’m a middle-age, white woman [saying] this to young Hispanic, mostly male students who were having to drop out.

Elizabeth Stringer-Nunley, English Learner Lead, Galax City Public Schools, Va.

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Dan Page for Education Week

School & District Management Opinion We’re Not Preparing Principals for the Real Job of School Leadership
A shocking amount of school leadership is not about students. It is about adults.

Meagan Booth, March 27, 2026

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4 min read

A display indicating a detected weapon is pictured on an Evolv AI weapons detection system in New York City, on March 28, 2024. Lawmakers in Georgia are weighing a bill that would require all public schools to have weapons-detection systems or metal detectors at building entrances. While supporters say the systems make schools safer, critics say the technology has limitations.

Barry Williams/New York Daily News via TNS

School Climate & Safety States Push AI Weapons Detection as Part of School Safety
Three states are considering whether to require weapons-detection systems at school entrances.

Evie Blad, March 26, 2026

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5 min read

Liz Yap/Education Week with E+

School & District Management Principal Turnover Went Down in This State. But That’s Not the End of the Story
North Carolina lowered its principal attrition rate. Those who stay report working conditions haven’t changed.

Olina Banerji, March 26, 2026

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6 min read

Attorneys representing New Mexico and those working for Meta talk following a verdict that found the social media company willfully violated New Mexico's consumer protection laws, on March 24, 2026, in Santa Fe, N.M. Schools have been paying increasing attention to how the use of social media can harm students.

Nathan Burton/Santa Fe New Mexican via AP, Pool

Student Well-Being & Movement Jury Finds Meta Platforms Harm Children. Why School Districts Are Eyeing This Verdict
A trial scheduled for this summer pits school districts against social media companies.

The Associated Press, March 25, 2026

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6 min read

Fred Rogers rehearses a segment of his television program "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" in Pittsburgh in this June 8, 1993 file photo.

Gene J. Puskar/AP

Student Well-Being & Movement Teachers Keep the Lessons of 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood' Alive in the Classroom
Teachers say Fred Rogers' work has informed how they weave together academic and SEL lessons.

Sarah D. Sparks, March 25, 2026

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4 min read

Backpacks at a middle/senior high school in Morrisville, Pa., on Nov. 13, 2025. A new analysis explores the progress of schools in fighting chronic absenteeism when they communicated early with families of students at risk of becoming chronically absent.

Rachel Wisniewski for Education Week

Student Absenteeism Schools Made Steady Progress Boosting Attendance With This Strategy Change
The timing and tenor of communication with families matter, according to a new analysis.

Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, March 25, 2026

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5 min read

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Students make their way to class at the Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School in Newark, Delaware on February 18, 2026. The school's assistant principal, Rasheem Hollis, plays a key role in brokering resolutions when parents and teachers disagree about student discipline.

Demetrius Freeman for Education Week

Families & the Community Teachers Say Behavior Problems Aren't Just About Students. It’s the Parents
Parents are the third rail of the discipline conversation. Teachers say they need backup from their school leaders.

Olina Banerji, March 4, 2026

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10 min read

Corrina González, right, was a paraeducator who built a permanent career as an immersion teacher in the Fresno, Calif., district through one of its many teacher pipelines. She got intensive support from her mentor, Elica Gutierrez, left. The women meet in a regular coaching session at John Burroughs Elementary on November 6, 2025.

Andri Tambunan for Education Week

Recruitment & Retention Dozens of Teacher Pathways Fuel This District’s Talent Pipeline
A California district's homegrown teacher pathways work to secure a stable, well-trained teaching force.

Sarah D. Sparks, March 4, 2026

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12 min read

Afry Harvy/iStock/Getty

School & District Management Many Assistant Principals Aren’t Seeking Promotion. Here’s Why
The assistant principalship isn’t just a stepping stone to the top job in a school.

Olina Banerji, March 2, 2026

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6 min read

A recent survey shows the link between safety and relationships as schools struggle to carve out portions of their increasingly limited budgets for school security measures, safety training, and mental health programs. A hallway at a school in Morrisville, Pa., is shown on Nov. 13, 2025.

Rachel Wisniewski for Education Week

School Climate & Safety This Key Factor Helps Students Feel Safe at School
Students who believe educators take their safety concerns seriously are more likely to feel safe.

Evie Blad, March 2, 2026

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3 min read

Mary Hassdyk Vooys for Education Week

Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion Is Your School’s SEL Strategy Working? The Questions Every Educator Should Ask
The evidence for social and emotional learning is strong, but the field is messy.

Christina Cipriano, March 2, 2026

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5 min read

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

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