Leadership Research

Man in suit, collaged with thorny branches in front and behind him.
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week + Canva
School & District Management Principals Are Stressed Out. Here's What's Plaguing Them—and What Can Help
Principal mental health is suffering from ‘work spillage,' a new study finds.
Olina Banerji, October 8, 2026
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5 min read
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21, 2026 : A board meeting at the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 , in Los Angeles, CA. The LAUSD met to discuss a resolution calling for development of a Screen Time Policy setting time limits by grade, including elimination of student digital devices for early education through first-grade, prohibiting device use by elementary and middle school students during passing periods, lunch and recess. The board unanimously voted to approve Board Member Nick Melvoin's Resolution to limit student screen time.
The Los Angeles Unified School District school board meets on April 21, 2026, to discuss whether to develop a policy to limit students' screen time. A new EdWeek Research Center survey shows that many school board members nationwide are retired and have never worked in K-12 education.
Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times
School & District Management From Our Research Center What We Know About School Board Members, In Charts
Many school board members are retired and have never worked in education before, survey shows.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, October 6, 2026
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1 min read
Grid of the book covers that are listed in this article.
School & District Management The Best Books About Leadership These Educators Have Ever Read. What's Yours?
Critical lessons learned from books (and one TV show) about leadership.
Kevin Bushweller, September 30, 2026
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8 min read
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 8: HISD Superintendent Mike Miles and Cullen Middle School Principal Erica Brame-Manuel tour Cullen Middle School, which now hosts Cullen Military Academy-the only school of its kind in Houston ISD, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024 in Houston.
Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles and Principal Erica Brame-Manuel tour Cullen Middle School in Houston on Oct. 8, 2024. New research shows that repeated superintendent transitions often trigger ripple effects on district performance and student achievement.
Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
School & District Management The High Cost of Turnover: How Superintendent Churn Affects Classrooms
New research argues that chronic leadership stability erodes institutional knowledge and disrupts long-term initiatives.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, September 24, 2026
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5 min read
Image of adults going back in the workforce.
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week + Getty
School & District Management How the Superintendency Is Changing, in 5 Charts
New data shows a trend reversal in superintendent turnover rates.
Olina Banerji, September 17, 2026
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5 min read
BigIdeas0926 Bushweller
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
School & District Management Reported Essay It's Not About Being Nice. Fearless Leadership Requires Curiosity and Candor
Just ask the leader mediating an ugly school mascot fight or restructuring a once-segregated school.
Kevin Bushweller, September 8, 2026
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14 min read
Abigail “Abby” Zwerner shares a moment with her mother Julie Zwerner after a verdict was reached in her lawsuit against the assistant principal, Ebony Parker, of Richneck Elementary School during proceedings at Newport News Circuit Court on Nov. 6, 2025 , in Newport News, Va. Zwerner was injured when a 6-year-old male student shot her while she was teaching. Violence against educators has risen since schools reopened after the pandemic.
Richneck Elementary schoolteacher Abigail Zwerner with her mother after a verdict was reached in her lawsuit against the school's assistant principal, Ebony Parker, at Newport News Circuit Court on Nov. 6, 2025 in Newport News, Va. A 6-year-old student brought a loaded gun to school that was later used to shoot Zwerner, despite her raising concerns with school officials.
Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via TNS
School & District Management Teachers Are Facing More Aggression at Work. How Can Schools Protect Them?
Teachers feel less victimized when they have their principal's support
Olina Banerji, August 20, 2026
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4 min read
Screenshot 2026 06 08 at 7.13.09 AM
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School & District Management Opinion The 3 Predicable Struggles That Thwart Education Leadership Teams
Even highly capable leadership teams can struggle to translate their strengths into school impact.
Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson, June 8, 2026
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4 min read
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, January 22, 2026: Students move through the halls at Washburn High School in Minneapolis, MN.
Students move through the halls at a high school in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 22, 2026. Principals play a central role in shaping school environment, from staff support to overall school culture.
Caroline Yang for Education Week
School & District Management Q&A Why Principals Are Key to Solving Schools’ Biggest Problems
Improving school leaders can improve schools. Why aren’t states making the connection?
Olina Banerji, June 3, 2026
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6 min read
Image of a male and female silhouette standing near an illustrated ladder going.
Afry Harvy/iStock/Getty
School & District Management Many Assistant Principals Aren’t Seeking Promotion. Here’s Why
The assistant principalship isn’t just a stepping stone to the top job in a school.
Olina Banerji, March 2, 2026
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6 min read
Illustration in blues of a big hand with magnifying glass over a group of people.
Yutthana Gaetgeaw/Getty
School & District Management A Growing Number of Superintendents Say the Job Stress Isn't Worth It
At the same time, superintendents this year identified fewer sources of job-related stress in a new survey.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, October 3, 2025
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3 min read
Image of special needs student working with tablet computer.
iStock
Special Education Principals Don't Always Understand Special Education. That's a Problem
Principals want more special education training. Here's how one state is offering it.
Jennifer Vilcarino & Olina Banerji, August 5, 2025
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5 min read
Illustration of a Black woman professional carrying a briefcase and dressed in red and walking alongside an oversized male dressed in blue pants with his white hand also carrying a briefcase.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
School & District Management Women, People of Color Still Underrepresented in Superintendent Ranks
Superintendents are getting younger, earning slightly more, and working longer hours, yet their pay still lags behind inflation, AASA found.
Jennifer Igbonoba, July 15, 2025
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4 min read
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School & District Management Research Is Shedding New Light on Superintendents to Help Them Succeed
An emerging body of research examining the leaders of the nation's 13,000 school districts is yielding actionable insights.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, April 2, 2025
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6 min read