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.
Photo of school officials having conversation.
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School & District Management How Principals Are Coaching the Next Generation of School Leaders
Mentors give aspiring school leaders an unvarnished view of the principalship.
Olina Banerji, January 21, 2026
6 min read
Principal and apprentice having a conversation in school courtyard.
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School & District Management How These 3 States Are Building a Principal Pipeline
Principal apprenticeship programs aim to remove barriers to school leadership.
Olina Banerji, January 14, 2026
5 min read
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School & District Management Opinion 4 Practical Steps Leaders Can Take to Support Student Learning
When it comes to best practice for data-driven instruction, teachers will take clues from leaders.
Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson, January 14, 2026
3 min read
Modern collage of a school leader contemplating an AI toolbox
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion Four Ways I Use AI as a Principal (and One Way I Never Will)
AI can’t replace the human side of school leadership, but it can give us more time in the day.
S. Kambar Khoshaba, January 13, 2026
4 min read
A student at Glover Middle School in Spokane, Wash., checks their phone before the start of school on Dec. 3, 2025.
A student checks a phone before school in Spokane, Wash., on Dec. 3, 2025. One school leader discussed the time-saving effect of a bell-to-bell cellphone ban during a recent EdWeek virtual event.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
School & District Management How These School Leaders Stop the Distractions That Steal Learning Time
Cellphones "are a huge time waster," said one principal.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, January 6, 2026
3 min read
Collaged image of school principal resolutions for the new year
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion 14 New Year’s Resolutions to Inspire School Leaders
For inspiration on how to make the most of your second reset of the school year, we checked in with contributors to The Principal Is In column.
Mary Hendrie, December 31, 2025
1 min read
Photo of principals concentrating during training class.
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School & District Management These Are the New Skills Principals Want to Learn
Hint: It's not all about AI.
Olina Banerji, December 29, 2025
3 min read
At one high school in Washington state, students are allowed to use their phones during lunch breaks and between classes.
At one high school in Washington state, students are allowed to use their phones during lunch breaks and between classes. Principals say they want to help students develop a healthier relationship with cellphones.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
Ed-Tech Policy These Schools Restricted Cellphone Use. Here’s What Happened Next
Principals noted a decrease in discipline referrals and an increase in student engagement.
Olina Banerji, December 16, 2025
6 min read
A teacher sitting with a group of students with clearly marked boundaries around each of them.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion When Teachers Get in Trouble, It’s Rarely Bad Intentions. It’s Bad Boundaries
Here are 3 strategies principals can offer teachers to guide—not restrict—their care for students.
Brooklyn Raney, December 16, 2025
4 min read
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Professional Development Opinion School Leaders Struggle With Teacher Buy-in. What to Do About That
Research shows that four actions can inspire change, writes Thomas R. Guskey.
Thomas R. Guskey, December 11, 2025
5 min read
Vector illustration on businessman and business woman on a crossroad. Searching of right path. Decision and brainstorming concept.
Liz Yap/Education Week and DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Sales & Marketing Insights Free Download: Your Guide to Engaging K-12 Leaders
Engage K-12 leaders with clarity, credibility, and impact.
December 9, 2025
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School & District Management Opinion The 5‑Minute Clarity Reset: How a Small Pause Can Change a Big Decision
Stuck in a spin? This practice can help free an education leader to act.
Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson, December 3, 2025
5 min read
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Professional Development Opinion Calling Yourself a 'Lead Learner' Doesn't Make It So
As an educator, knowing your job well can dull your desire to grow. There's a way to change that.
Michael Nelson & Peter DeWitt, November 23, 2025
5 min read
Illustration of a large hand in a business suit pulling a large blue ribbons away from a tiny silhouetted woman who is trying to prevent it from being taken away from her.
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week + Getty
School & District Management Q&A A Blue Ribbon Schools Winner Reflects on the National Program's End
The Trump administration abruptly canceled the program this summer.
Olina Banerji, November 21, 2025
5 min read