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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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

Students from Columbus, Ohio, wait outside a barrier at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, where congressional leaders were having a news conference about the federal government shutdown on Oct. 15, 2025. A new survey shows students want more of a voice in shaping government decisions.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Student Well-Being & Movement Parents and Kids Feel Shut Out of Policymaking. What Schools Should Know
New survey reveals parents and kids want more voice in government decisions.

Arianna Prothero, March 31, 2026

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4 min read

Sonia Pulido for Education Week

School & District Management Opinion ‘This Isn’t Working’: Educators Share Unsolicited Advice for District Leaders
How can superintendents improve student outcomes—without micromanaging teachers?

Larry Ferlazzo, March 31, 2026

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8 min read

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Students make their way to class at the Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School in Newark, Delaware on February 18, 2026. The school's assistant principal, Rasheem Hollis, plays a key role in brokering resolutions when parents and teachers disagree about student discipline.

Demetrius Freeman for Education Week

Families & the Community Teachers Say Behavior Problems Aren't Just About Students. It’s the Parents
Parents are the third rail of the discipline conversation. Teachers say they need backup from their school leaders.

Olina Banerji, March 4, 2026

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10 min read

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

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