School Leadership

Learn more about the work of school-level leaders including principals, assistant principals, and other administrators

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The Principal Is In: Advice for Principals
In a biweekly Education Week column, experienced principals and other school leadership experts offer advice for their peers.
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Robyn Lady, a member of the Fairfax County School Board in Virginia, left, and Rachel Edoho-Eket, a principal in Howard County, Md., participate in a panel discussion titled "Building Trust With Families in a Skeptical Age" at the ISTELive 26 + ASCD Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla., on June 30, 2026. The growing backlash against the overuse of technology in schools is forcing school and district leaders to have some difficult conversations with parents.
Marvin Joseph/Education Week
Classroom Technology How District and School Leaders Respond to the 'Techlash' Will Be Critical
Educators recommend showing parents how technology is used for learning.
Alyson Klein, August 4, 2026
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4 min read
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Shutterstock
School & District Management Opinion Ed. Leaders Must Stop Getting Distracted by the Shiniest New Idea. Here’s How
Effective school leadership depends on slowing down, asking better questions, and reflecting.
Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson, July 29, 2026
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4 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
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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
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5 min read
Collage of one image of a teacher working in a planning book, an image of two teachers looking at a document together and sticky notes with the words "training" and "strategies" on them.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
School & District Management Opinion This Is What Teachers Want From Their Leaders
School and district administrators should take note of this feedback from educators.
Larry Ferlazzo, July 17, 2026
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1 min read
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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
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1 min read
A school leader empowers a teacher to excel through feedback and conversation.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Canva
School & District Management Opinion Want to Empower Your Staff? Start With Teachable Moments
How teachers and school leaders can both embrace difficult conversations and grow together.
George Farmer & Tamara Brickus, July 14, 2026
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3 min read
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Shutterstock
School & District Management Opinion You Can't Just Demand School Leaders Trust Each Other
Strong leadership teams share certain characteristics. What are they?
Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson, July 14, 2026
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4 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
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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