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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A student raises the U.S. and Nevada flags to start the school day on March 30, 2022, in Goodsprings, Nev., where the elementary school meets four days week. A growing number of schools have turned to four-day weeks over the past two decades, sometimes for budget reasons, other times for teacher recruitment and retention. But the payoff isn't always clear-cut.

Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP

School & District Management Explainer The 4-Day School Week: What Research Shows About the Alternative Schedule
More schools have shifted to the four-day week. How common is it? Does it save money and attract teachers?

Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, April 9, 2026

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7 min read

Learning-support teacher Susannah Campbell speaks with prospective applicants during the William Penn school district's teachers job fair in Lansdowne, Pa., on May 3, 2023. New research of a Maryland program that develops high schoolers' interest in teaching shows that such efforts can pay off.

Matt Rourke/AP

Recruitment & Retention What the Research Says This State Invested in Helping High Schoolers Become Teachers. Did It Work?
The decade-old program significantly boosted the pipeline of diverse new educators.

Sarah D. Sparks, April 9, 2026

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4 min read

Canva

School & District Management What's Your Educator Wellness Score? Here's How to Find Out
We curated a fun way for you to take care of yourself as you worry about students, colleagues, and your school.

Olina Banerji, April 8, 2026

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1 min read

Photo illustration by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Canva

Recruitment & Retention Download Ease the Teacher-Hiring Process with AI (Downloadable)
Clear criteria and privacy protections are critical when using technology to smooth the hiring process.

Sarah D. Sparks & Gina Tomko, April 6, 2026

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1 min read

At Westwood High School, shown here on Oct. 18, 2022 in Mesa, Ariz., teachers combine classes and grades rotating between big group instruction, one-on-one interventions, and small study groups. Teachers find collaborative teaching models generally more useful than other PD models like seminars.

Matt York/AP

Professional Development Teachers Like It. Research Is Promising. Is This the Solution to Teacher PD?
A GAO report finds that teachers like collaborative teaching—and it has some preliminary research support too.

Sarah D. Sparks, April 3, 2026

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4 min read

Daniel Perez, a recruiter with Teachers Accelerator Program, talks to a job seeker during a job fair on Oct. 1, 2025, in Miami. New data from the EdWeek Research Center suggests that more than 50% of districts use AI tools during the teacher-hiring process.

Marta Lavandier/AP

Recruitment & Retention AI Is Changing Teacher Hiring. Here’s How
Teachers may not be aware that AI underpins both commercial and DIY hiring systems, raising concerns.

Sarah D. Sparks, April 2, 2026

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8 min read

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