Principals

Education news, analysis, and opinion that focuses on principals and their roles in K-12 schools

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Hour by Busy Hour: What a Principal's Day Actually Looks Like
From the time they wake up until they set the alarm at night, school leaders juggle the routine, the unexpected, and the downright bizarre.
Image of an exterior school door and shadows of student crossing the view.
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week and Getty
School & District Management How These Principals Nip Apathy in the Bud After Winter Break and Long Weekends
Cellphone bans, Instagram posts and shout-outs are small fixes to the growing problem of student apathy.
Olina Banerji, January 19, 2024
6 min read
Illustration of two silhouettes in a school hallway having a conversation about the future.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion Why I Told an Excellent Teacher It Was Time to Leave Teaching
Leadership means being honest, even when it might go against the immediate needs of your school.
Matthew Ebert, January 16, 2024
4 min read
Illustration of a male figure juggling plates above him.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management What Principals Can Do to Fight Misperceptions About Their Jobs
Principals can take steps to make what they do more transparent despite how complex the job can be.
Olina Banerji, January 12, 2024
8 min read
Teamwork and leadership.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management What a Principal Learned From Conflict With His Teachers
Scott Tombleson's first year as principal brought some critical insights on how to make changes.
Olina Banerji, January 5, 2024
7 min read
 Female teacher works one-on-one with teen student
SDI Productions/E+
School & District Management Principals Are Key to Making Tutoring Work. Here’s Why
Schools leaders do the critical work of convincing and building trust in the process.
Olina Banerji, January 3, 2024
4 min read
Illustration of woman with mirrors.
F. Sheehan for Education Week via Canva / Getty
School & District Management Opinion How Principals Can Grow Professionally This Year
We need to take a long look in the mirror this year to make sure we’re not stuck in a rut. Here’s where to start.
S. Kambar Khoshaba, January 2, 2024
4 min read
Student Well-Being Reports Student Mental Health: Survey Results from Students and Education Leaders
This report presents findings on student mental health based on survey results from educational administrators and high school students.
December 29, 2023
Pins free for students to take sit on a table as the Miami Arts Studio mental health club raises awareness on World Mental Health Day, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, at the public 6th-12th grade magnet school in Miami.
Pins free for students to take sit on a table as the Miami Arts Studio mental health club raises awareness on World Mental Health Day, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, at the public 6th-12th grade magnet school in Miami.
Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Student Well-Being How Can Schools Support Student Mental Health? 2 Principals and a Psychiatrist Weigh In
Youth mental health has become a top priority for schools. This is how two leaders of rural schools are addressing it.
Libby Stanford, December 27, 2023
2 min read
Two women having discussion.
E+ / Getty
School & District Management Principals Have an Increasingly Tough Gig. Enter the Principal Coach
Coaches can help principals look after their own well-being and delegate responsibility.
Olina Banerji, December 22, 2023
7 min read
Blue colorized image of principal with student in school highway.
Dustin Chambers for Education Week
School & District Management What Principals Were Reading This Year: Top 10 Stories
The stories that resonated most with administrators provide a glimpse of the myriad issues they had to grapple with.
Stacey Decker, December 22, 2023
2 min read
Conceptual of file folders and a label that says myths.
SinArtCreative/iStock/Getty
School & District Management Principals Would Like You to Know They Don't Just Sit in Their Offices
Top misconceptions about a principal's job are about their visibility and connection to their schools.
Olina Banerji, December 18, 2023
4 min read
Image of a framed smiley face.
zakokor/iStock/Getty
School & District Management What Principals Can Do to Take Care of Their Own Mental Health
Principals need to feel less lonely to improve their mental health.
Olina Banerji, December 12, 2023
3 min read
Conceptual illustration of snapshots from a school community as the background, in the foreground a silhouetted figure casts a long shadow.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion Students Are Often Told Success Means Leaving Their Neighborhood. It Doesn’t
Educators—and especially principals—have got to stop spreading the damaging “leave to succeed” narrative. Here’s what they can do instead.
Sharif El-Mekki, December 12, 2023
4 min read
Stylized photo illustration of a teacher feeling pressured as she is questioned by her students.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion Why Principals Need to Talk About the Israel-Hamas War With Our Teachers
What can we do when a difficult topic is brought up by students in classrooms? First, don’t leave teachers to handle it in isolation.
S. Kambar Khoshaba, December 5, 2023
5 min read