School Climate

Get insights into improving school culture and the experiences of students and staff
Wed., April 01, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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A principal reads to an excited group of children, building community
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion 'When Are You Coming to Read to Our Class?': How a Principal Makes Time for Joy
When this elementary school leader began scheduling read-alouds, he noticed an immediate change.
Ian Knox, March 24, 2026
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4 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
Teaching Opinion We All Agree Student Voice Matters. But What Do You Actually Do With It?
Start by assuming that students come to the classroom with important things to say.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 18, 2026
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10 min read
Image of a school hallway with students moving.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management How Assistant Principals Build Stronger School Communities
From middle to high school, assistant principals share what they've done to increase engagement and better student behavior.
Jennifer Vilcarino, March 11, 2026
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7 min read
Image of a group of students meeting with their teacher. One student is giving the teacher a high-five.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva
School Climate & Safety What 3 Top Principals Do So Students Feel Like They Belong at School
Principals use belonging, mentorship, and creative incentives to boost attendance.
Olina Banerji, March 10, 2026
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5 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
Equity & Diversity Opinion The Myths and Realities of Culturally Responsive Teaching
It's time to stop thinking of culturally responsive practices as one more item on the to-do list.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 9, 2026
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15 min read
Damon Lewis.
"We're going to get to the standards ... but we have to make sure that our kids feel safe enough to come into our building," said Damon Lewis, the principal for Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy in Norwalk, Conn., and the National Middle Level Principal of the Year in 2025.
Allyssa Hynes/NASSP/NASSP via reporter
School Climate & Safety Q&A This Principal Puts Relationships Ahead of Content. Here’s How
A school leader discusses how he and his staff create a safe and supportive learning environment.
Lauraine Langreo, March 6, 2026
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5 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
Teaching Opinion Student Agency Inspires Learning. Here Are 8 Ways to Foster It
Teachers must shift their mindset from dictating rules to co-creating agreements with students.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 6, 2026
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8 min read
Thu., March 05, 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.
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School Climate & Safety Webinar Belonging as a Leadership Strategy for Today’s Schools
Belonging isn’t a slogan—it’s a leadership strategy. Learn what research shows actually works to improve attendance, culture, and learning.
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Winter in Lowville, N.Y. on Nov. 29, 2025. “There’s a lot of things here in our area that would certainly impact teacher morale if you let it,” said Zippel Principal Christopher Hallett. “We are very conscious of it here in our region. We are isolated in many, many ways: It’s a low-income population in a very rural area, so as you can imagine, there’s not a lot to do. Getting people to think outside the box about their own mental health and self-care is pretty important up here.”
Winter in Lowville, N.Y. on Nov. 29, 2025. For the past three years, teachers in the Northeast—including New York state—have reported significantly poorer morale than teachers in the West, Midwest, and South, according to the EdWeek Research Center’s annual survey. Said one Maine principal, Christopher Hallett: “There’s a lot of things here in our area that would certainly impact teacher morale if you let it."
Cara Anna/AP
Teaching Profession Why Are Teachers in This Region So Miserable?
It's not clear why New England and Mid-Atlantic teachers feel so burned out. But some fixes could help.
Sarah D. Sparks, March 4, 2026
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9 min read
A hallway at a school in Morrisville, Pa., on Nov. 13, 2025. Data from a recent survey shows the link between safety and relationships come as schools carve out portions of their increasingly limited budgets on school security measures, safety training, and mental health programs to keep students safe.
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
Panelists from left: Carlos Gonzalez, superintendent of the Roma Independent district in Texas; John Skretta, superintendent of Lincoln, Neb., schools; Joe Gothard, superintendent of Madison, Wis., schools; Ben Master, a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corp. speak on summer learning and student success at the National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tenn. on Feb. 13, 2026.
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
Students take a recess break outside of St. Paul district school in St. Paul, MN, February 23, 2026.
Students take recess outside an elementary school in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 23, 2026.
Tim Evans for Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement School Counselors See Rising Trauma Linked to Immigration Enforcement
The school staff whose job it is to support students say they see major signs of emotional distress.
Ileana Najarro, February 26, 2026
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6 min read
Students visit the Alaqua Animal Rescue in Freeport, Fla., for an SEL-based curriculum on Aug. 23, 2025.
Students visit the Alaqua Animal Rescue in Freeport, Fla., for an SEL lesson on Aug. 23, 2025. Social-emotional learning can be a powerful tool for boosting student engagement and improving behavior and academic performance, but experts say it has to be implemented well.
Micah Green for Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Looking for SEL's Benefits? Good Implementation Is Key, Experts Say
How well an SEL program is implemented is critical for achieving the outcomes that research promises.
Arianna Prothero, February 25, 2026
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6 min read
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