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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Equity & Diversity A State Said Districts Had to Report Spending on DEI. Some Defied the Mandate
Some of Oklahoma's largest school districts resisted a directive to detail their spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Mark Lieberman & Eesha Pendharkar, July 18, 2023

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6 min read

Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva

School & District Management Opinion The One Question You Shouldn’t Wait Until an Exit Interview to Ask Teachers
The right feedback is like gold when it comes to retaining staff and building a healthy school culture.

L. Sha Fanion, July 18, 2023

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3 min read

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School & District Management Could Principal Apprenticeships Expand the Pipeline of School Leaders?
Principal is now an approved occupation for federal apprenticeships.

Evie Blad, July 17, 2023

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4 min read

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Equity & Diversity 6 Teacher-Tested Tips for Getting Students' Names Right
Pronouncing students' names correctly on the first day of school means more to students than educators may think.

Lydia McFarlane, July 17, 2023

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5 min read

In this May 1943 photo, Aiko Sumoge, an assistant teacher, leads a kindergarten class to sing an English folk song in Tule Lake, Calif., home to the largest of the camps where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. A new PD program in Idaho immersed teachers in the history of Japanese American incarceration.

AP

Professional Development An Immersive PD Program Changed These Teachers. Here's How It Will Change Their Practice
Three teachers share what they are taking from an in-depth workshop on the history of Japanese Americans.

Ileana Najarro, July 17, 2023

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5 min read

Students eat lunch at Edward A. Reynolds West Side High School in New York on Dec. 10, 2019. Schools struggled to procure food through a key federal program, resulting in last-minute menu substitutions or repeated menus, in the first school year in which virtually all schools had reopened following pandemic building closures.

Seth Wenig/AP

Student Well-Being & Movement Watchdog Finds Systemic Problems With Major School Meals Program
Schools that rely on a USDA program to supply food for lunches encountered order delays and cancellations and price fluctuations.

Libby Stanford, July 17, 2023

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5 min read

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Recruitment & Retention Why Aren't There More Asian American School Leaders? Here's What We Heard
Ideas for making the profession more appealing.

Denisa R. Superville, February 28, 2023

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5 min read

iStock/Getty Images Plus

Recruitment & Retention Recruiting Asian American School Leaders: Tips From Educators
Efforts to increase school leadership diversity often overlook Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

Denisa R. Superville, February 28, 2023

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8 min read

z_wei/iStock/Getty + EdWeek

Budget & Finance Data See Which School Districts Declined Federal Pandemic Aid
Administrative hassle, philosophical disagreements, and abrupt school closures are among the reasons districts rejected ESSER funds.

Mark Lieberman, February 28, 2023

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1 min read

Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva

School & District Management Opinion Every School Has Bias. Here’s What Principals Can Do About It
How do we build combating bias into the who, how, and why of teaching, leadership, and school organization?

Sharif El-Mekki, February 28, 2023

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4 min read

Alexey Yarkin/iStock/Getty

Recruitment & Retention A District’s Long-Term Investment in Cultivating Future Teachers Is Paying Off
Ector County, Texas, saw its teacher vacancy rate drop from 18 percent to 1 percent in less than four years.

Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, February 28, 2023

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5 min read

E+/Getty

Student Well-Being & Movement Kids' Screen Time Rose During the Pandemic and Stayed High. That's a Problem
It’s too early to see how increased screen time may affect kids long-term, but many educators say they have seen negative effects.

Arianna Prothero, February 28, 2023

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2 min read

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