Principals

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

View jobs for school principals

Interactive

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.
View Interactive

Get The Savvy Principal

Delivered Sunday morning, this newsletter has essential news, information, and career resources specifically for school leaders.
Learn More & Sign Up
Tue., September 29, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar The Principal's Role in Collective Efficacy and Student Outcomes
Learn practical strategies that help principals translate their confidence into stronger collective teacher efficacy and student outcomes.
Content provided by Otus
Register
Image of a silhouette of a person facing a red door and around the door are symbols of work relationships, organizational charts, collaboration, communication, teamwork, and coordination.
iStock + DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management What Excites and Scares Principals Walking Into New Jobs
Four principals talk about how they’re approaching their new jobs
Olina Banerji, August 14, 2026
•
7 min read
Collage-style illustration of a teacher figure high-fiving a student at a table where she is working with multiple students. The background shows another teacher helping a student, a whiteboard with lessons and a view of desks in a classroom.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Canva
School & District Management Opinion Principals, Don't Start the School Year Without This Commitment
Are you spending your time on what matters most for students? Here’s how to take stock.
Rebecca A. Huggins, August 11, 2026
•
3 min read
Collage illustration of a teacher meeting with a parent and student. There is a close-up image of hands typing on a keyboard in the background with binary code and motherboard-inspired lines behind the teacher.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Canva
Artificial Intelligence Opinion Principals, Don't Let AI Undermine Strong Parent Relationships
Yes, AI can be a useful tool for school communications, but nothing replaces a real conversation.
Ilanit C. Hoory, July 28, 2026
•
3 min read
Front view of a group of wooden cubes with icons representing persons. The main focus is on an angry person who has a cube over his head with a thought bubble full of insults
Education Week + iStock/Getty
School & District Management Q&A School Leaders Face More Parental Threats Than Teachers
Parental violence went up after the pandemic, directed most towards school administrators.
Olina Banerji, July 21, 2026
•
5 min read
9x16 Immigration Enforcement Minnesota Education 26035828132101
School & District Management Video Two Principals, One Agenda: Keep Kids Safe From Immigration Action
Two principals talk to Education Week about how to work through the fear and chaos of ICE action.
Olina Banerji, July 14, 2026
•
1 min read
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
•
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
•
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
•
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
•
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
•
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
•
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
•
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
•
13 min read