School Leadership

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

Column

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.
Image of a staff meeting.
E+/Getty
School & District Management Teachers Hate All Those Meetings. Can Principals Find a Workaround?
Principals can't do away with every meeting, but they can reduce some and make others more effective.
Olina Banerji, March 15, 2024
4 min read
Chris Young, a principal from Vermont, poses for a photo in front of a Senate office building in Washington, D.C.
Chris Young, a principal from Vermont, stands in front of a Senate office building in Washington on March 13, 2024. Young was among the secondary principals to meet with legislators urging them to keep federal funding for schools stable.
Olina Banerji/Education Week
School & District Management Q&A When This Principal Talks About Mental Health, People Listen. Here's Why
The NASSP Advocacy Champion of the year said he used stories from his school and community to speak with his state’s legislators.
Olina Banerji, March 14, 2024
6 min read
Illustration of a bright vibrant school where students feel welcomed. In the background the sky is filled with enthusiastic raised hands.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion 5 Strategies to Combat Student Disengagement
When principals get serious about building a more inclusive school community, it doesn’t just benefit students, but teachers as well.
Michelle Singh, March 12, 2024
5 min read
Charles Longshore, the assistant principal at Dothan Preparatory Academy in Dothan, Ala., interacts with students.
Charles Longshore, the assistant principal at Dothan Preparatory Academy in Dothan, Ala., observes a student's project.
Courtesy photo
School & District Management Q&A Prop Up the Principal, But Do It In Your Own Way: An Assistant Principal’s Advice to His Peers
Charles Longshore is both a coach and confidante to his teachers and students—all to support his principal’s larger vision for the school.
Olina Banerji, March 11, 2024
6 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion The Single Most Effective Thing Administrators Can Do: Shut Up and Listen
By listening deeply, administrators can create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and can challenge assumptions.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 7, 2024
11 min read
teachers meeting at a table
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Download Principals, Are You in Sync With Your Teachers? (Downloadable)
New data show some important disconnects between teachers' experiences and principals' perceptions of them.
1 min read
Photo of teenage boy outside of school.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
School Climate & Safety Want to Tackle Attendance Apathy? Students Will Show You How
There’s no one-shot solution to chronic absenteeism, but listening to students is a good way to begin.
Olina Banerji, March 4, 2024
5 min read
shutterstock 1953224254
Shutterstock
School & District Management Opinion Debunking 5 Myths of Self-Awareness in School Leadership
Leaders must understand their strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and impact on others if they want to be effective.
Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson, March 3, 2024
5 min read
A team of colleagues comes to a resolution in a conceptual illustration about building bridges
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion Restorative Practices Don’t Just Belong in the Classroom. Leaders Should Use Them, Too
Respectful conflict resolution, starting meetings with a talking circle, and other ways this administrator is walking the walk.
Sonja Gedde, February 27, 2024
5 min read
Screen Shot 2024 02 18 at 4.01.50 PM
Canva
Professional Development Opinion Are Your Staff Meetings Unfocused and Disjointed? Try These 5 Strategies
Too often, staff meetings do not focus on learning, which is a lost opportunity. Here's how to make them more meaningful.
Michael Nelson & Peter DeWitt, February 25, 2024
6 min read
Photos of principals walking in school hallway.
E+ / Getty
School & District Management This State Created a Retention System for Principals. Here’s Why It Worked
Missouri has deepened the support it offers to new principals through a partly federally funded, two-year mentoring program.
Olina Banerji, February 21, 2024
6 min read
Let's brainstorm!
Created on Canva
School & District Management Opinion 5 Reasons Why Education Leaders Avoid Controversial Topics
Understanding why we shy away from challenging conversations can be a path toward empathy and an opportunity for learning.
Peter DeWitt, February 20, 2024
4 min read
Image of an educator greeting students for the day with a special handshake.
E+
School & District Management Songs, Hugs, Haircuts: How Principals Make Morning Greetings Fun
How principals set the tone for the day with their morning announcements.
Olina Banerji, February 9, 2024
2 min read
Two hands put together the pieces of an arrow puzzle that resembles a red brick schoolhouse.
iStock/Getty Images
School & District Management When Schools Merge, Principals Must Forge a New Culture. Here’s How
Principals must focus on building new relationships, inside and outside the school.
Olina Banerji, February 8, 2024
7 min read