Principals

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

Interactive

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.
Photo illustration of school leaders strategizing while taking a walk outside a building.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion Tips for Surviving Your First Year as a School Administrator
Here are five ways to adjust to the new role of school leader, from a second-year administrator.
William Sullivan, September 12, 2023
4 min read
Kelly Frycz, principal of Sardis Elementary, leads an interactive read-aloud with a second-grade class in Monroe, North Carolina.
Kelly Frycz, principal of Sardis Elementary, works with a 2nd grade class in Monroe, N.C., on Sept. 5. As a second year principal, Frycz looks for opportunities to engage with kids and teach in the classroom.
Kate Medley for Education Week
School & District Management These 3 Principals Still Take Time to Teach. Here's Why
The pandemic played a role in fueling these principals' need to better understand a changed educational environment.
Caitlyn Meisner, September 12, 2023
5 min read
Screen Shot 2023 09 08 at 7.35.11 AM
Canva
School & District Management Opinion The Answer to the Leadership Crisis Is Not a Principal Pipeline
School leaders are departing. There are many ideas for how to retain them and train those who aspire to the role.
Vince Bustamante & Tim Cusack, September 11, 2023
6 min read
Illustration of an optimistic looking principal smiling outside of a school with plus signs floating above the students.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion How Principals Can Start School With a Smile
Here are five ways to stay positive and focus on morale this year.
S. Kambar Khoshaba, August 29, 2023
4 min read
Illustration of a desk with lots of things on it.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management What Do Principals Carry Around All Day? 3 Leaders Share Their Essentials
On the move most of the day, these principals learned what tools they need to keep close at hand.
Caitlyn Meisner, August 24, 2023
4 min read
Image of staffing.
Andrii Yalanskyi/iStock/Getty
School & District Management What the Research Says Keeping Principals on the Job: These Numbers Show How
Here are some statistics that point to which principals stick around and why.
Sarah D. Sparks, August 8, 2023
3 min read
Photo shows a woman's back as she stands in front of a room of seated adults, gesturing with an open hand while she speaks.
E+ / Getty
School & District Management What New Data Show About Principal Turnover
Principal attrition increased during the COVID-19 crisis—but it's not a drastic departure from past trends.
Evie Blad, July 31, 2023
3 min read
Image of teamwork with strong, collaborative leadership.
Feodora Chiosea/iStock/Getty
School & District Management What Teachers Think Makes a Principal Great
A collaborative spirit and respect are among the qualities teachers named on social media.
2 min read
Image shows a hand arranging wood block stacking as step stair on paper.
Getty
School & District Management What's Next for Principal Apprenticeships? 3 Things to Know
A new federal approval will allow principal candidates to train on the job with the help of federal funding. Here's what comes next.
Evie Blad, July 25, 2023
2 min read
Photo illustration of a team of diverse professionals reviewing content on tablet.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion The One Question You Shouldn’t Wait Until an Exit Interview to Ask Teachers
The right feedback is like gold when it comes to retaining staff and building a healthy school culture.
L. Sha Fanion, July 18, 2023
3 min read
Photo of school staff walking in hallway.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
School & District Management Could Principal Apprenticeships Expand the Pipeline of School Leaders?
Principal is now an approved occupation for federal apprenticeships.
Evie Blad, July 17, 2023
4 min read
Illustration of a diverse group of 7 professionals helping one another climb a succession of large bars with some using a ladder.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Q&A A District’s Coaching Program for Principals Takes a Holistic Approach to Address the Struggle With Stress
A large urban district adopted a coaching program to support school leaders' individual needs and behaviors, not just intructional concerns.
Elizabeth Heubeck, July 14, 2023
5 min read
Former President Donald Trump addresses the crowd at the Moms for Liberty national summit in Philadelphia on June 30, 2023. Trump is more focused on education during his third presidential run, and has said multiple times that school principals should be elected.
Former President Donald Trump addresses the crowd at the Moms for Liberty national summit in Philadelphia on June 30, 2023. Trump is more focused on education during his third presidential run, and has said multiple times that school principals should be elected.
Matt Rourke/AP
School & District Management Trump Says Parents Should Elect Principals. What Would That Look Like?
The former president says principal elections will let parents take schools back from “radical Marxist maniacs."
Libby Stanford, July 14, 2023
7 min read
Group of diverse people (aerial view) in a circle holding hands. Cooperation and teamwork. Community of friends, students, or volunteers committed to social issues for peace and the environment.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
School Climate & Safety Small Ways Leaders Can Build Schools Where Everyone Feels Like They Belong
Principals can take small steps to ensure students and staff feel like they belong.
Denisa R. Superville, June 26, 2023
5 min read