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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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

Students take recess outside an elementary school in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 23, 2026.

Tim Evans for Education Week

Student Well-Being & Movement School Counselors See Rising Trauma Linked to Immigration Enforcement
The school staff whose job it is to support students say they see major signs of emotional distress.

Ileana Najarro, February 26, 2026

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6 min read

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First graders in Kelly Elementary School in Chelsea, Mass. meet with virtual tutors from Ignite Reading in 2025 as part of a study of the program. The Chelsea district is now targeting 1st graders for tutoring to make sure all of them meet reading benchmarks by the end of the year.

Courtesy of Chelsea Public Schools

Student Achievement The Case for Reading Tutoring Before 3rd Grade, Not After
New research suggests virtual tutoring can boost literacy learning before kids begin to struggle.

Sarah D. Sparks, February 26, 2026

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6 min read

Students visit the Alaqua Animal Rescue in Freeport, Fla., for an SEL lesson on Aug. 23, 2025. Social-emotional learning can be a powerful tool for boosting student engagement and improving behavior and academic performance, but experts say it has to be implemented well.

Micah Green for Education Week

Student Well-Being & Movement Looking for SEL's Benefits? Good Implementation Is Key, Experts Say
How well an SEL program is implemented is critical for achieving the outcomes that research promises.

Arianna Prothero, February 25, 2026

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6 min read

Activists are approached by federal agents for following agent vehicles, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. Federal immigraiton enforcement disrupted learning in the Twin Cities in recent months. A new national poll of K-12 parents found most oppose immigration enforcement at or near schools.

Ryan Murphy/AP

Families & the Community How K-12 Parents Feel About Immigration Enforcement Near Schools
The latest national poll found most parnets opposing ICE enforcement at or near schools.

Ileana Najarro, February 25, 2026

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4 min read

The Fifth Ward Elementary School and nearby residential neighborhoods in Reserve, La., pictured here on Sept. 23, 2022, sit near a synthetic rubber plant that has emitted chloroprene, which California lists as a carcinogen. New research finds thousands of schools are located within a quarter mile of such environmental hazard sites.

Gerald Herbert/AP

Student Well-Being & Movement Millions of Students Attend Schools Near Toxic Sites, a New Study Shows
The study explores schools' proximity to hazardous sites and students' exposure to pollutants.

Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, February 25, 2026

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4 min read

Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva

School & District Management Opinion The One Word That Educators Can Use to Reclaim Their Joy
The work may not change, but your perspective can.

S. Kambar Khoshaba, February 24, 2026

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3 min read

A sign discouraging bullying is seen as two students walk into a classroom at a school in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Feb. 12, 2026. Experts say creating a sense of belonging in school can help curb problems like bullying.

Kevin Mohatt for Education Week

Student Well-Being & Movement 3 Driving Questions to Create a Sense of Belonging in Schools
Students who feel they belong in their school are more likely to show up and learn.

Arianna Prothero, February 24, 2026

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5 min read

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