leadership Archives

Data-driven decision-making is the key to unlocking K-12 district success

July 3, 2026 by Jennifer Duvall, Red Rover

Data-driven decision-making helps districts create a more stable and motivated educational environment that benefits both staff and students.

Today’s K-12 school districts have numerous responsibilities, from managing staff resources, to ensuring student safety, to fostering a learning environment where all students flourish.

District Management

Science achievement is not a one-year event

July 2, 2026 by Mindy Pearson, M.Ed., Penda Learning

Educational systems often encourage leaders to focus on immediate science achievement while science learning unfolds over many years.

District leaders are under increasing pressure to improve science achievement while balancing competing priorities, staffing challenges, instructional demands, and accountability expectations.

District Management

Outcomes-based partnerships and accountability are the future of education

June 30, 2026 by Mark Angel, Amira Learning

Edtech and educators must take shared ownership of doing what matters--driving student growth--through outcomes-based partnerships.

The answer to stagnating test scores is not adopting technology that has never demonstrated any ability to move test scores. Educators have to finally recognize that hope is not a strategy…

District Management

Learning doesn’t happen by accident–it starts with consistency and communication

June 25, 2026June 25, 2026 by Dr. Mike Ryder, Hardyston Township School District

A student’s school experience can shift dramatically--not just from year to year but from classroom to classroom each day. They may feel seen and encouraged by one teacher,…

District Management

Don’t wait for September: Reach students now, when it matters most

June 19, 2026 by Dr. Josha Talison, Ecorse Public Schools

Changing how educators reach out to students, and focusing on community support, can prove invaluable in fighting absenteeism.

Here is a lesson for you: If you wait until the first day of school to address attendance, you've already lost the battle.

Teacher Professional Development

Maybe we have too much teacher training

June 15, 2026June 15, 2026 by Adam Geller, Edthena

When budgeting for teacher development, the focus should remain on what kind of training districts are funding.

“Maybe we have too much teacher training.” That headline is a sentence I never thought I’d write, given that I run a company built around supporting teachers’ professional…

District Management

Leading in the in-between: A multi-track approach to leadership growth

June 12, 2026 by Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

The time between earning a license and a school leadership role is not empty space in a career--it can become a defining stage of growth.

There is a period in the school leadership journey that we do not talk about enough: the time between earning an administrative license and actually becoming a school…

District Management

Engaging K-12 families over the summer

June 10, 2026 by Dr. Kara Stern, SchoolStatus

The school communications calendar between May and September is a single arc, and districts that use this window well have a genuine head start.

It’s easy to connect with the families who show up in September already invested: responding to messages, attending events, kids showing up on time. In most cases, building…

Education Policy & Funding

We need to start giving agency to educators instead of edtech vendors

June 8, 2026 by Priten Soundar-Shah, PedagogyVentures

Teachers and students need agency as they are voicing concern and disagreement over administrators’ edtech purchasing decisions.

American schools spent roughly $30 billion on educational technology in 2024--a figure that's projected to nearly double by 2033. Superintendents are constantly bombarded with emails, brochures, and demos…

K-12 Cybersecurity

Will schools answer the Canvas breach’s wake-up call?

June 4, 2026 by Michael Greene, Enzoic

The Canvas breach lesson is clear--modern education security requires more than firewalls and endpoint protection.

The recent Instructure/Canvas breach should be a wake-up call for every school and university relying on third-party platforms to power teaching and learning.

Emergency Planning & Response

How comprehensive school safety planning protected our teachers and students

May 19, 2026 by Gregory Vaughn, S.L. Mason Elementary School, Valdosta City Schools

Why in-building coverage is a lifeline for school safety

When people outside of education talk about comprehensive school safety planning, it can sometimes sound theoretical: a checklist of protocols or a compliance exercise.

Classroom Management

Building a better bridge: Prioritizing infrastructure in a pre-K expansion

May 15, 2026 by Jamee Herbert, BridgeCare

Expanding access to early childhood education will require more than funding--it demands a modern, agile pre-K system.

New York is currently standing at a historic crossroads. With a rare alignment of executive leadership in Albany and NYC and a tireless advocacy community, the state is…

District Management

We can’t punish our way out of the attendance crisis

May 13, 2026 by Luvelle Brown, Ed.D, Ithaca City School District

Outreach around student attendance must be rooted in humanity, grounded in proximity, and carried out by those who know the community.

In the Ithaca City School District, we have long understood that relationships are not peripheral to the work; they are the work. A culture of love is not…

Newsline

School Specialty Honors Top Educators with 12th Annual Crystal Apple Awards

April 21, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

GREENVILLE, Wis., April 21, 2026 — School Specialty, a leading provider of learning environments and supplies to the pre-K-12 education ... Read more

Emergency Planning & Response

Protecting teachers from workplace violence as student behavior challenges rise

April 17, 2026April 14, 2026 by Dr. Roderick Sams, CENTEGIX

Violence against teachers in the workplace contributes to issues like burnout and some educators leaving the profession altogether.

Schools have seen rising problems with student behavior since the pandemic. For too many K-12 districts, these student behavior challenges are leading to violence against teachers.

District Management

Sustainable change starts with educator voice

April 6, 2026 by Timothy Montalvo, Iona University & the College of Westchester

When educator voice helps shape the work of their schools, change becomes a shared commitment to better outcomes for students.

School leaders everywhere are working to implement change--new initiatives, new instructional frameworks, new technologies, new approaches to student support.

District Management

Don’t mistake staff voice for a problem

April 3, 2026 by Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

School leaders must make space for staff to express concerns and offer suggestions, because staff voice is critical to district success.

As children, we play hide-and-seek. There is a kind of logic to it: If you cannot see me, then I cannot see you. As adults, and sometimes as…

School Management

5 secrets to stronger high school connections

March 31, 2026 by Tracey Widmann, McDowell High School

A comprehensive school communication system often means the difference between parents knowing they’re true partners and feeling left out.

I’ve been a principal for 14 years, during which time I served as the leader of an alternative school, an early college, and a large middle school. Through…

District Management

How to navigate historically high absenteeism

March 27, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

Truly successful chronic absenteeism solutions are those that focus on re-engaging students with their school communities.

Chronic absenteeism has stabilized at historically high levels, signaling a long-term engagement challenge rather than a short-term pandemic disruption, according to a new national white paper released by…

School Data Management

Data intelligence in education: Building the right foundation for better decisions

March 19, 2026 by Rishi Raj Gera, Magic EdTech

Education needs systems that make trusted data usable--that is where real transformation in data intelligence and data management begins.

Data has become one of the most important strategic assets in education. Yet across institutions, publishers, and edtech companies, it often remains fragmented, inconsistently governed, and difficult to…

District Management

When it comes to student attendance, are districts measuring the wrong thing?

March 6, 2026 by George Philhower, Ed.D., Eastern Hancock Schools

As the pressure to improve student attendance mounts, it’s silencing the alarm that kids are still struggling once they return to classrooms.

Across the country, schools are raising alarms about chronic absenteeism. News stories highlight rising numbers of missed days, legislators are demanding answers from districts, and educators are feeling…

District Management

Strengthening the PK-12 leadership pipeline during a succession crisis

February 26, 2026 by Dr. Martin Yousef, LaFetra College of Education, University of La Verne

Without intentional investment, the PK-12 leadership pipeline will continue to narrow as retirements outpace preparation.

Across the country, districts are confronting a growing PK-12 leadership pipeline crisis. Veteran principals, assistant principals, and district administrators are retiring at increasing rates, yet there is not…

Newsline

Celebrating Teachers: Nominate Outstanding Educators for Crystal Apple Awards

February 17, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

School Specialty, a leading provider of learning environments, instructional solutions, and supplies for preK-12 education, is proud to celebrate outstanding educators with its 12th annual Crystal Apple Awards.

Teacher Professional Development

A new PLC model that builds collective efficacy and fights teacher burnout

February 13, 2026 by Douglas Fisher & Nancy Frey, San Diego State University & Health Sciences High and Middle College

Why modern professional learning communities need to focus on adult learning, real problems, and spreading innovation--enter PLC+.

In schools across the country, teacher turnover and burnout have reached crisis levels. Educators are stretched thin, often working in isolation, and many professional learning communities (PLCs) fail…

School Management

Being a principal just got harder–and here’s why

December 29, 2025 by Chris DeRemer, Chalkbeat

A principal should create an environment so safe and accepting that students and staff never feel like they must look over their shoulder.

There is a squeaky old merry-go-round in my neighborhood that my own children play on from time to time. Years of kids riding on it have loosened its…

Teacher Professional Development

4 ways AI can make your PD more effective

December 4, 2025 by Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

AI can help PD facilitators design activities that meet everyone’s needs while keeping the group moving forward together.

If you lead professional learning, whether as a school leader or PD facilitator, your goal is to make each session relevant, engaging, and lasting. AI can help you…

Teacher Professional Development

Rethinking icebreakers in professional learning

November 28, 2025 by Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

Too often, icebreakers are poorly designed fillers, disconnected from learning goals--they should respect professional learning.

I was once asked during an icebreaker in a professional learning session to share a story about my last name. What I thought would be a light moment…

District Management

From silos to systems: The digital advantage in schools

November 20, 2025 by Sara Douglas, Campbell County Schools

Going digital for critical student services helps education leaders centralize data and ensure seamless support across campuses.

When I first stepped into my role overseeing student data for the Campbell County School District, it was clear we were working against a system that no longer…

School Management

Truth vs. risk management: How to move forward

November 17, 2025November 13, 2025 by Dr. Yuvraj Verma, Bessemer City Middle School and William Howard Taft University

Explaining the “why” behind a decision can build staff trust, morale, and intelligence when it comes to truth and risk management.

In the world of K-12 education, teachers are constantly making decisions that affect their students and families. In contrast, administrators are tasked with something even bigger: making decisions…

Education Policy & Funding

Funding technology initiatives in uncertain times

October 24, 2025 by Gillian Rhodes, Avantis Education

Be intentional about where to look for technology funding, how to frame proposals, and how to measure and share impact

Recent policy shifts have caused significant uncertainty in K-12 education funding, especially for technology initiatives. It’s no longer business as usual. Schools can’t rely on the same federal…

Edtech Trends

Do screens help or hurt K-8 learning? Lessons from the UK’s OPAL program

January 14, 2026October 22, 2025 by Nesreen El-Baz, ESL Educator

In education, we don’t have to choose between tech and tradition--the real challenge is finding balance in learning.

When our leadership team at Firthmoor Primary met with an OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) representative, one message came through clearly: “Play isn’t a break from learning, it…

School Management

Why education leaders must highlight their people

October 20, 2025 by Steven M. Baule, Ed.D., Ph.D.

When education leaders illuminate their teams' achievements, they don't diminish their own leadership, but they enhance it.

When I asked my executive assistant to proof my first superintendent’s report for the public board packet, she came back and said that she was surprised that I…

District Management

The superintendent survival kit: Transparency and truth in communications

November 7, 2025October 16, 2025 by Greg Turchetta, Apptegy

When it comes to superintendents and transparency, true leadership means standing up, accepting interviews, and answering tough questions.

As superintendents come under more political fire and frequent negative news stories about their school districts circulate, it is easy to see where the instinct to not comment…

Rethink the ordinary: 10 benefits of interactive solutions for education

September 18, 2025September 12, 2025 by Jeff Festa

In this era where technology influences nearly every aspect of life, education has an essential technology leadership role to ... Read more

District Management

Phones, devices, and the limits of control: Rethinking school device policies

November 7, 2025September 2, 2025 by Emily Smith, HonestWaves

Are we trying to eliminate cell phones in classrooms, or are we trying to teach responsible use via school device policies?

A growing body of research and an even louder chorus of educators point to the same conclusion: students are distracted, they’re disengaged, and their learning is suffering. What’s…

District Management

Beyond AI: Human connection still drives school attendance

November 7, 2025August 28, 2025 by Dr. Kara Stern, SchoolStatus

When it comes to school attendance, showing up to school is a human decision driven by authentic relationships--not AI.

At ISTE this summer, I lost count of how many times I heard "AI" as the answer to every educational challenge imaginable. Student engagement? AI-powered personalization!

Emergency Planning & Response

Preventing harm by connecting the dots in school safety

August 22, 2025 by Amanda Lewis, Versaterm

Swatting is just one example of how fragmented behavioral data can contribute to high-risk outcomes in school safety scenarios.

Swatting--false reports of school violence intended to trigger a police response--continues to increase across the country. During the 2022–2023 school year, nearly 64 percent of reported violent incidents…

Teacher Well-Being

Why student engagement starts with teacher clarity

August 14, 2025 by Dr. Mari Braithwaite, Alpine School District

Relationships, expectations, and clarity revealed themselves as critical to boosting and maintaining high levels of student engagement.

In Alpine School District, we serve a wide range of students, from Title I to highly affluent communities. While our population has traditionally been predominantly white and middle…

Teacher Professional Development

We’re losing STEM teachers–here are 5 ways to keep them and grow the ones we need

August 11, 2025 by Olga Vargas, Vernier Science Education

Recruiting and retaining STEM teachers isn’t just about filling vacancies--it’s about giving every student an opportunity to be inspired.

The critical shortage of qualified STEM teachers continues to challenge schools and districts across the country. This is especially true in high-need schools where early-career or uncertified teachers…

K-12 Cybersecurity

5 cybersecurity green flags: A practical guide for sourcing edtech

August 1, 2025 by Ben Johnson, Prodigy Education

Every school district can take meaningful, manageable steps to reduce risk, establish guardrails, and build trust with cybersecurity.

Although educators are excited to innovate, school leaders must weigh every new app or online platform against cybersecurity risks and the responsibility of protecting student data.

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