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.

2025 Leaders

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2025 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 2025 Leaders

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A Former Engineer Tailors Leadership Opportunities for Teachers, Staff
Superintendent Michael Lin customizes leadership development person-by-person in Southern California's Corona-Norco school district. He is recognized as a 2015 Leader To Learn From.
Leader Leverages Diverse Support for Building STEM Programs
Don Haddad, superintendent in Colorado's St. Vrain Valley school district, ushers in robust science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs with expert help from business and community partners. He is recognized as a 2015 Leader To Learn From.
Confronting Poverty's Challenges, a District Regains Academic Footing
Superintendent Tiffany Anderson draws on community resources to alleviate obstacles to learning in the high-poverty Jennings, Mo., school district. She is recognized as a 2015 Leader To Learn From.
Tacoma's Deputy Chief Helps Pioneer Expansive Measures of School Success
Josh Garcia is spearheading the Tacoma, Wash., district's shift to an accountability system that accounts for much more than test scores. He is recognized as a 2015 Leader To Learn From.
Administrator Deftly Steers District in Overhauling of Special Education
Kathy Fortino of Michigan's Muskegon regional school district strikes a balance between helping school systems provide special education services and monitoring them when they fall short. She is recognized as a 2015 Leader To Learn From.
Educator Leads Campaign to Transform Lives of Black Boys
In Oakland, Calif., Christopher Chatmon marshals district and community resources to support the academic and social-emotional success of African-American males. He is recognized as a 2015 Leader To Learn From.
Tenn. Schools Chief Digs Deep for STEM Learning
Teacher 'externships,' a STEM academy, and an emphasis on solving real-world problems form the backbone of a comprehensive STEM initiative in the Clarksville-Montgomery County school system.
Cleveland Administrator Launches College Tours for Parents
For many families in Cleveland, the Parent University College Tours organized by Tracy Hill are their first introduction to a college campus.
Calif. Leader Keeps English-Learners in Academic Mix
In Oakland, Maria Santos uses ‘instructional rounds,’ much like those in teaching hospitals, to coach educators on how to best involve ELL students in academic discourse.
Teachers Lead the Way in Nevada Leader's Common-Core Project
Aaron Grossman steered Washoe County’s efforts to implement curriculum standards by eschewing commercial interpretations of the standards and enlisting teachers to figure out what works for them.
Aaron Grossman
Ex-'Outsider' Chips Away at School Procurement Process in N.Y.C.
With innovations like the Gap App Challenge and the Music Education Hackathon, Steven Hodas wants to bridge "the moat" between schools and technology entrepreneurs.
Steven Hodas
Nursing Director Ensures Students Are Really ‘Ready to Learn’
In Kent, Wash., Mary Newell has rolled out several strategies to help students manage their health problems and make the most of their time in the classroom.

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