Principals

Education news, analysis, and opinion that focuses on principals and their roles in K-12 schools

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Left, Principal Michael C. Brown talks on a radio at Winters Mill High School in Westminster, Md., on May 17, 2022. Right, Boone Elementary School principal Manuela Haberer directs students and parents in the pick-up line at the conclusion of the school day on May 19, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas.
Hour by Busy Hour: What a Principal's Day Actually Looks Like
From the time they wake up until they set the alarm at night, school leaders juggle the routine, the unexpected, and the downright bizarre.
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Then new principal Krystal Hardy (in pink jacket) ends a meeting with teachers and staff called 'morning circle' with a pep rally huddle at Sylvanie Williams College Prep elementary school, on January 16, 2015 in New Orleans. Hardy spends most of her time out of her office mentoring teachers and staff and spending time with the children. She is the face of the new type of principal. Fifty percent of the children here started the year below grade level in reading and math. The goal is to help them catch up and keep making progress.
Principal Krystal Hardy (in pink jacket) ends a meeting with teachers and staff with a pep rally huddle at Sylvanie Williams College Prep elementary school, on Jan. 16, 2015, in New Orleans. While teachers want to find ways to learn from each other, principals get creative to find time for collaboration.
Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via AP
School & District Management Principals Find Creative Ways to Carve Out Teacher Collaboration Time
Collaboration needs time and intent. How three principals manage that for their teachers
Olina Banerji, July 6, 2026
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4 min read
Job candidates interview for a position.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Canva
Recruitment & Retention Opinion Want to Get Hiring Right? 3 Ways Principals Can Make Smarter Staffing Decisions
To build exceptional teams, we need to break apart the mechanics of the hiring process.
Ian Knox & Daniel Hash, June 30, 2026
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5 min read
Students play during a TK class at First Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, on April 22, 2026.
Students play at First Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, on April 22, 2026. Principals leading schools with preschool programs often don’t have enough runway to learn skills and theories before they’re tasked with leading early grades.
Ethan Swope/AP
Early Childhood How Principals Can Make Preschools Better
Principals need to adopt strategies that help their youngest learners thrive.
Olina Banerji, June 29, 2026
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5 min read
Positive and emotional interaction with a group of students. The struggle is part of the joy.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Canva
School & District Management Opinion Embrace the Struggle: How I Find Joy as an Educator
Many of the most meaningful moments in my career started with a difficult conversation.
S. Kambar Khoshaba, June 16, 2026
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4 min read
Georgia preschool students listen to a teacher read a book Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at The Capitol Hill Child Enrichment Center in Atlanta.
Georgia preschool students listen as a teacher reads a book April 22, 2026, at the Capitol Hill Child Enrichment Center in Atlanta. Many principals now oversee preschool programs but often lack training in early childhood instruction.
Alyssa Pointer/AP
Early Childhood More Principals Now Lead Preschools. But Are They Ready for It?
Strong efforts to train principals in early-childhood education are still scattered and scarce.
Olina Banerji, June 16, 2026
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6 min read
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, January 22, 2026: Students move through the halls at Washburn High School in Minneapolis, MN.
Students move through the halls at a high school in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 22, 2026. Principals play a central role in shaping school environment, from staff support to overall school culture.
Caroline Yang for Education Week
School & District Management Q&A Why Principals Are Key to Solving Schools’ Biggest Problems
Improving school leaders can improve schools. Why aren’t states making the connection?
Olina Banerji, June 3, 2026
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6 min read
Improv group image in a school yard with a background of "yes, and" sticky notes. Flexibility, quick thinking.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Canva
School & District Management Opinion What Happens When an Improv Comedian Runs a School
My side job on the comedy stage has made me a stronger principal.
Josh Roberts, June 2, 2026
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3 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
School & District Management Opinion Not Every Teacher Should Be an Administrator. Here’s How to Decide
Four educators talk about what it takes to make the transition.
Larry Ferlazzo, June 1, 2026
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13 min read
A high school principal gives a high-five to an incoming junior at the school, as upper-level students return on their first day of school in Brattleboro, Vt., on Aug. 28, 2025.
A high school principal gives a high-five to an incoming junior at the school, as upper-level students return on their first day of school in Brattleboro, Vt., on Aug. 28, 2025. Principals need access to frequent and relevant professional development opportunities to tackle the rising complexities of the job.
Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer via AP
Professional Development Practical and Paced: How Principals Like Their PD Served Up
Principal PD must reflect the demands and constraints of the job.
Olina Banerji, May 22, 2026
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5 min read
Edenton, N.C. - September 5th, 2025: Sonya Rinehart, principal at John A. Holmes High School, coordinates with other faculty members on a walkie talkie during in the hallway during class change.
A principal at a high school in Edenton, N.C., coordinates with other faculty members on a walkie talkie during in the hallway during class change on Sept. 5, 2025. School leaders in the state say they are happy with their districts but need more support and learning opportunities.
Cornell Watson for Education Week
School & District Management A New Survey Shows What a State Gets Right and Wrong for Its School Leaders
The group behind it hopes statewide results help district leaders do their jobs better.
Olina Banerji, May 20, 2026
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5 min read
A leader isolated on a floating dock in the center of an empty expanse.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Canva
School & District Management Opinion School Leadership Can Feel Painfully Lonely. It Doesn’t Have To
Here are three ways I’ve learned to stave off the isolation of being a principal.
Nicole Forrest, May 19, 2026
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4 min read
People Crossing the Book Bridge in the Cliff Valley
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
School & District Management Opinion Our Schools Are Breaking Educators. We Can Fix It
Making the teaching profession more sustainable starts with a new school leadership architecture.
Lindsay Whorton, May 18, 2026
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5 min read
4 Principals need PD too DEF
Edmon de Haro for Education Week
Professional Development Lessons Learned About Effective Professional Development for Principals
The best professional development for principals has a lot in common with the best PD for teachers.
Olina Banerji, May 18, 2026
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7 min read
From left: Heather Johnson, Terri Daniels, and Tom Brenner.
From left: Heather Johnson, Terri Daniels, and Tom Brenner.
Gina Tomko/NASSP
School & District Management Q&A Three Retiring Principals on What’s Changed in Schools
These principals reflect on the rising challenges reshaping school leadership.
Olina Banerji, May 15, 2026
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4 min read