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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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

School counselor Laurinda Culpepper takes down students' work on a bulletin board at Walnut Grove Elementary School, on May 13, 2020, in Olathe, Kan. According to the American School Counselor Association’s State of the Profession 2025 report, many people who do not work in schools do not understand the role and value counselors have for school communities.

Charlie Riedel/AP

Student Well-Being & Movement School Counselors’ Jobs Are Misunderstood. Why It Matters
New report examines the challenges school counselors are facing and how to address them.

Lauraine Langreo, April 1, 2026

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4 min read

School & District Management Not Every Assistant Principal Wants the Top Job: 5 Views From the Field
Promotions are welcome. But assistant principals don’t plan their lives around it.

Olina Banerji, April 1, 2026

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2 min read

Attendees arrive before the start of the AASA National Conference, which hosted scores of superintendents and district leaders, in Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 11, 2026. The organization's new survey indicates that most superintendents want to stay put for now.

Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week

School & District Management Superintendents Increasingly Report Economic Pressures on Their Districts
Nevertheless, most superintendents hope to remain in their current roles next year, a new survey finds.

Evie Blad, March 31, 2026

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3 min read

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A camera with facial recognition capabilities hangs from a wall while being installed at Lockport High School in Lockport, N.Y., on July 10, 2018. Lackluster maintenance of security cameras in many schools compromises their effectiveness.

Carolyn Thompson/AP

School Climate & Safety From Our Research Center Security Cameras Are Everywhere in Schools. Do They Work?
The effectiveness of security camera systems is often compromised by lack of investment in upkeep and training.

Arianna Prothero, September 30, 2025

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6 min read

Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts visits with preschoolers at the Taylor Education Center on Sept. 23, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. He is currently being held by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

Courtesy of Des Moines Public Schools

School & District Management ICE Detains Superintendent of Iowa’s Largest School District
Immigration officers detained the Des Moines, Iowa public schools superintendent, officials said.

Ileana Najarro & Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, September 26, 2025

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3 min read

Third graders play Ring Around the Rosie during recess at Highland Elementary School in Columbus, Kan., on Oct. 17, 2022. Researchers say regular, positive recess experiences can boost student learning.

Charlie Riedel/AP

Student Well-Being & Movement Download Recess Can Boost Student Learning. 9 Ways to Make It Matter (DOWNLOADABLE)
All kids benefit from regular, positive recess experiences. These steps can make it happen.

Elizabeth Heubeck, September 26, 2025

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1 min read

Then-Education Secretary Miguel Cardona participates in a roundtable discussion with students from Dartmouth College on Jan. 10, 2024. The former secretary will teach at Yale University this school year.

Steven Senne/AP

School & District Management Former U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to Teach at Yale
The secretary who served under President Joe Biden will serve as a faculty fellow for the 2025-26 academic year.

Jessica Simms, New Haven Register, September 26, 2025

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2 min read

Gwen Keraval for Education Week

Equity & Diversity Letter to the Editor Let DEI Thrive: How Agency and Belonging Flourish in Identity Safe Spaces
We can’t afford to let go of diversity, equity, and inclusion, writes an author and educator.

September 26, 2025

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1 min read

Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion First Days of School at Any Age Never Lose Their Power
At 62, I started graduate school the same day my grandson began kindergarten, proof that curiosity and growth never retire.

Michael Nelson, September 25, 2025

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3 min read

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