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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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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Flu shot vaccines are seen in a refrigerator at International Community Health Services on Sept. 10, 2025, in Seattle. A decline in flu vaccinations this year could be one factor helping the spread of influenza.

Lindsey Wasson/AP

Student Well-Being & Movement Flu Is Hitting Schools Hard as Community Cases Surge
Some schools have closed buildings as flu cases have surged.

Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, January 9, 2026

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3 min read

Protestors gather after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, on Jan. 7, 2026. The incident later prompted the Minneapolis school district to cancel classes amid broader federal immigration operations.

Richard Tsong-Taatarii/The Minnesota Star Tribune via TNS

School & District Management Minneapolis Schools Close in Wake of Deadly Shooting, Immigration Enforcement
The districtwide closure marks a departure from schools' responses to ICE presence.

Ileana Najarro, January 8, 2026

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6 min read

Vaccines are prepared for students during a pop-up immunization clinic at the Newcomer Academy in Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 8, 2024. Schools could face new questions about which vaccines are required as the federal government scales back its list of vaccines recommended for all children.

Mary Conlon/AP

Student Well-Being & Movement What Will Scaled-Back Childhood Vaccine Recommendations Mean for Schools?
Schools could encounter new questions about which vaccines are required.

Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, January 8, 2026

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4 min read

Omar Muñoz teaches high school student Caden Wang, 15, during a class on semiconductor manufacturing at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz., on Nov. 5, 2025. Districts across the country are looking for people like Muñoz, who has three decades of industry experience, to teach their CTE courses.

Adriana Zehbrauskas for Education Week

Recruitment & Retention How This District Works to Attract and Retain Hard-to-Find CTE Instructors
CTE instructors are difficult to hire and retain. This district uses external connections and internal resources to support its program.

Elizabeth Heubeck, January 7, 2026

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6 min read

iStock/Getty

Professional Development What It Looks Like to Put Teachers in Charge of Their Own PD
Teachers say they want more choice in their professional learning. One principal found a solution.

Olina Banerji, January 7, 2026

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4 min read

A student checks a phone before school in Spokane, Wash., on Dec. 3, 2025. One school leader discussed the time-saving effect of a bell-to-bell cellphone ban during a recent EdWeek virtual event.

Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week

School & District Management How These School Leaders Stop the Distractions That Steal Learning Time
Cellphones "are a huge time waster," said one principal.

Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, January 6, 2026

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3 min read

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