Meet the Leaders

Each year, Education Week identifies some of the nation’s most exceptional school district leaders in its EdWeek Leaders To Learn From report and shines a spotlight on their extraordinary impact on the success of educators and students.

2024 Honorees

Leaders to Learn From 2024 - Clockwise from above: Sharon Bradley, Jun Kim, and Aleesia Johnson.
2024 EdWeek Leaders To Learn From
These district leaders have shown persistence and creativity as they navigate the challenges facing schools in a rapidly changing world.
Meet the 2024 Leaders

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This Leader Partners With Students to Build a More Sustainable Future for Her District
Under LeeAnn Kittle's leadership, the Denver district has implemented an ambitious climate action plan.
LeeAnn Kittle, executive director of sustainability at Denver Public Schools, right, talks to Amelia Fernández Rodríguez, 16, a junior at DSST: Conservatory Green High School on Jan. 12, 2024. Rodríguez and her peers lead “DPS Students for Climate Action,” and were filming a video at Denver East High School on creating a sustainability club.
Absenteeism Was a Big Problem in This District. A New Strategy Is Getting Results
Sharon Bradley remembers how it felt to miss school for reasons outside her control.
Sharon Bradley, director of student, family and community services for Plano ISD, listens to members of the Character, Attendance, and Restorative Education (CARE) team discuss their current projects in Plano, Texas, on Dec. 14, 2023. The CARE department focuses on equipping students and adults with the tools, strategies, and resources that support a safe, engaging, and collaborative learning environment through character education, attendance recovery, and restorative practices.
Through Wars, Tornadoes, and Cyberattacks, He's a Guardian of Student Privacy
Jun Kim, the technology director in Moore, Okla., works to make the most of innovations—without endangering student data.
Jun Kim, Director of Technology for Moore Public Schools, center, leads a data privacy review meeting on Dec. 13, 2023 in Moore, Okla.
With a Steady Hand, a Superintendent Guides Her District Through Big Changes
When Aleesia Johnson became superintendent of the Indianapolis schools, Indiana’s largest district needed much more than a patch job.
Aleesia Johnson, superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, left, visits classrooms at James Whitcomb Riley School 43 on Jan. 16, 2024 in Indianapolis.
An Unorthodox Plan to Pay Students to Write Curriculum Is Raising Achievement
For Kate Maxlow, the director of curriculum in Hampton City, Va., engaging students and improving academic achievement go hand in hand.
Kate Maxlow works with Ava Gomez, 8, left and Khalid Baldwin, 8, right, on a “breakout room” activity in Jade Austin’s second grade classroom at Samuel P. Langley Elementary School in Hampton, Va., on January 12, 2024.
A Former Teacher Turns Classroom Prowess Into Partnerships With Families
Ana Pasarella maximizes her community's assets to put students first.
Ana Pasarella, the director of family and community engagement for Alvin ISD, oversees an activity as Micaela Leon, 3, a student in Alvin ISD’s READy Program, draws on a piece of paper on Alvin ISD’s STEM bus in Manvel, Texas, on Dec. 8, 2023.
A Leader Who's Busting Down Barriers to Gifted Education
Anthony Vargas has nearly doubled the share of poor and Hispanic students in gifted education in Manassas, Va.
Anthony Vargas judges projects presented by 5th grade students at Baldwin Intermediate School in Manassas, Va., on Dec. 6, 2022.
A 'Saleslady' Got One District to Prioritize Students' Mental Health
Over the past decade, Andria Amador has reshaped mental health in the Boston school district with a commitment to prevention over reaction.
Andria Amador, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services for Boston Public Schools, holds out a bucket to Veda Peteet, 3, Zara Peteet, 5, and Tom Peteet, 40, while hosting a table at Building Balance, a mental health event at the Museum of Science in Boston, Mass., on Jan. 21, 2023.
Want to Recruit Male Teachers of Color? Look to This New York City Leader
Chimere Stephens, who leads recruitment of men of color for the New York City schools, believes in starting with high school students.
Chimere Stephens, the Director of NYC Men Teach at the NYC Department of Education, reads a book to a class of first grade students at PS 55 elementary school in the Bronx, New York., January 19, 2023.
Making Math Matter: A District Leader's Mission
As a teacher, Tonya Clarke sought to change the way her students saw math. Now, she's bringing her vision districtwide.
Tonya Clarke, coordinator of K–12 mathematics in the division of school leadership and improvement for Clayton County Public Schools in Jonesboro, Ga., helps students with geometry at Adamson Middle School.
Transforming a School District, One Relationship at a Time
Richard Tomko of Belleville, N.J., schools wants to build an early foundation for students and help those with disabilities flourish.
Richard Tomko, Superintendent of Belleville Public Schools in Belleville, N.J., visits Mrs. Gras’ pre-K class and participates in a dancing activity to enrich gross motor skills on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. One of Dr. Tomko’s main initiatives as superintendent has been to grow Belleville Public School’s “Preschool Universe,” which has been largely successful since the opening of the Hornblower Early Childhood Center in 2020. District enrollment in the “Preschool Universe” was at 7.8% in the 2018-19 school year, and is now at 86.7% for the 2022-23 school year.
Giving Students a Say in School Spending? A District Leader's Bold Idea Pays Off
Cyndi Tercero-Sandoval's initiative empowers students by allowing them to vote on how portions of their school's budgets will be spent.
Cyndi Tercero, family and community engagement manager for the Phoenix Union High School Districts, pictured at a distribution event for students and families in need at Carl Hayden High School in west Phoenix, Ariz., on Jan. 13, 2023.