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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Driving Academic Improvement by Empowering Parents
Central to turning around public education in Detroit is reengaging the parents who had been largely cut out of the district.
Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of Detroit Public Schools, and Sharlonda Buckman, assistant superintendent of family and community engagement, have made parental engagement a key part of their turnaround strategy.
Building a Community for Black Male Teachers
Baron R. Davis is leading efforts to hire more Black male teachers committed to improving academic excellence in a South Carolina district.
Baron Davis, Superintendent of Richland School District Two, in Columbia, S.C.
Ensuring Homeless Students Are Seen During a Pandemic
In Everett, Wash., Amy Perusse brought together a range of agencies to meet the needs of homeless students and their families.
Amy Perusse, homeless education coordinator for Everett School District in Washington, has kept track of and coordinated services for her students across county lines during the pandemic.
Taking an Unapologetic Approach to Curriculum Overhaul
An academic leader at a charter school has overhauled curriculum—and proved that instructional rigor and anti-racism can co-exist.
Danielle Kelsick, Chief Academic Officer for the Environmental Charter Schools in Redondo Beach, Calif.
A Place Where Teachers Take the Lead on Science Curriculum
Anna Heyer has empowered teachers to shape the science curriculum in an Arizona district, and has expanded time spent on science.
Anna Heyer, District Science Specialist for the Flowing Wells Unified School District in Tucson, Ariz.
Weaving a Mental Health Safety Net
Special Projects Supervisor Jeff Wellington has overseen efforts to improve mental health for both staff and students in the Hamilton Township School District, N.J. He’s put into a place a social-emotional curriculum, a suicide-assessment protocol, and educator training--all to dispel the taboo surrounding mental health. He is recognized as a 2020 Leader To Learn From.
School Lunch as a Lever to Expand Equity and Improve School Climate
Betti Wiggins, the officer of nutrition services for the Houston Independent School District, gives students from low-income families daily access to nutritious meals and provides family-style lunch settings that help teach kids social skills. She is recognized as a 2020 Leader To Learn From.
Creating Healthier —and Tastier—School Meals
Joe Urban, the director of food and nutrition services in Greenville County Schools, S.C., proves that giving students healthy food options and asking for their input can increase participation and be good for the district’s financial bottom line. He is recognized as a 2020 Leader to Learn From.
Revamping Hiring and Support for Teachers
Gonzalo La Cava, the chief of human resources in The School District of Palm Beach County, Fla., has tackled high teacher vacancies by building a pipeline into the teaching profession for non-traditional candidates, better matching teachers’ skills and experiences to the needs of schools, and ensuring that new teachers get support during the critical early years on the job. He is recognized as a 2020 Leader To Learn From.
A Superintendent’s Commitment to Getting Students ‘Future Ready’
Bryan Johnson, the superintendent of Hamilton County Schools in Chattanooga, Tenn., has created an array of “future-ready” institutes, where students gain real-world exposure– through mentorship, job-shadow opportunities, and rigorous coursework—to in-demand jobs while they are still in high school. He is recognized as a 2020 Leader To Learn From.
Building a Culture of Inclusion for All Students
Inclusion is the guiding light of special education. Nellie Aspel, the director of exceptional children in Cleveland County Schools, N.C., has embraced it as the keystone for helping all students often considered difficult to teach, especially those students struggling with mental health. She is recognized as a 2020 Leader To Learn From.
Championing a Knowledge-Building Curriculum, One Classroom at a Time
Curriculum matters, but so does how teachers make use of it. Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Jana Beth Francis helps teachers in Daviess County Public Schools, Ky., unpack a new core English/language arts curriculum and use it to build students’ content expertise year after year. She is recognized as a 2020 Leader To Learn From.

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