Principals

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

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Left, Principal Michael C. Brown talks on a radio at Winters Mill High School in Westminster, Md., on May 17, 2022. Right, Boone Elementary School principal Manuela Haberer directs students and parents in the pick-up line at the conclusion of the school day on May 19, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas.
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.
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High school principal of the year Jason Johnson.
Jason Johnson receives the 2026 National High School Principal of the Year Award at a National Association of Secondary School Principals event April 17, 2026, in Washington.
NASSP
School & District Management 'We’re Going Grassroots': How a Principal of the Year Is Boosting AP Enrollment
Jason Johnson, the high school principal of the year, wants every student to succeed.
Olina Banerji, April 22, 2026
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5 min read
Teachers and school leaders meeting to inspire confidence. accountability doesn't have to mean fear
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty
School & District Management Opinion A Heartbreaking Meeting With a Teacher Changed How I See Accountability
Too often, principals confuse accountability with fear.
Katy Myers Allis, April 21, 2026
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4 min read
Democratic Senator Raumesh Akbari hugs a young demonstrator as people gather to protest an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol Thursday, in Nashville, Tenn. The bill would allow public school systems in Tennessee to require K-12 students without legal status in the country to pay tuition or face denial of enrollment, which is a challenge to the federal law requiring all children be provided a free public education regardless of legal immigration status.
Democratic state Sen. Raumesh Akbari hugs a young demonstrator as people protest an immigration bill outside the Senate chamber at the state Capitol on April 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. The legislation is part of a broader push in Tennessee to require schools to collect students’ immigration status, raising concerns among educators about trust, access, and compliance with federal law.
John Amis/AP
States 'Not Our Job': Principals Decry a Proposal to Track Student Immigration Status
A principals group has publicly opposed efforts to require schools to track immigration status.
Ileana Najarro, April 17, 2026
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5 min read
Student feedback. Teens holding empty colorful speech bubbles.
Getty via Canva
School & District Management How 4 Principals Use Student Voice to Improve School Culture
Principals share how to ensure students are true partners in shaping their schools.
Lauraine Langreo, April 14, 2026
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5 min read
Screenshot 2026 04 12 at 8.41.12 AM
Canva
School & District Management Opinion Formative Assessments Aren’t Just ‘Teacher Work.’ Principals Need to Care, Too
Teachers and leaders often find themselves on different pages when it comes to student progress.
Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson, April 12, 2026
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4 min read
Principal pointing out a teacher on a board with a classroom drawn on it. When we prepare principals, we often focus on the instructional side of the job at the expense of the people-management side.
Dan Page for Education Week
School & District Management Opinion We’re Not Preparing Principals for the Real Job of School Leadership
A shocking amount of school leadership is not about students. It is about adults.
Meagan Booth, March 27, 2026
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4 min read
Sign on door that reads "Principal's Office" from a school.
Liz Yap/Education Week with E+
School & District Management Principal Turnover Went Down in This State. But That’s Not the End of the Story
North Carolina lowered its principal attrition rate. Those who stay report working conditions haven’t changed.
Olina Banerji, March 26, 2026
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6 min read
A principal reads to an excited group of children, building community
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion 'When Are You Coming to Read to Our Class?': How a Principal Makes Time for Joy
When this elementary school leader began scheduling read-alouds, he noticed an immediate change.
Ian Knox, March 24, 2026
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4 min read
President Ronald Reagan addresses the National Association of Secondary School Principals convention in front of an old fashion red school house, background, Feb. 7, 1984 in Las Vegas, Nev. Standing behind Reagan are NASSP officials.
President Ronald Reagan addresses the National Association of Secondary School Principals convention in front of an old fashion red school house, background, Feb. 7, 1984 in Las Vegas, Nev. Standing behind Reagan are NASSP officials.
Doug Pizac/AP
School & District Management Q&A Meet the National Principals Association: Why the 110-Year-Old Org. Rebranded
Elementary school leaders will add new priorities for the national organization.
Olina Banerji, March 17, 2026
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6 min read
Successful male and female in leadership achieve target. Embracing success confidence holding winner flag on top of mountain peak.
Education Week + iStock/Getty
School & District Management How Top Principals Are Improving Schools Across the Country
Principals must empower student and teacher voices.
Olina Banerji, March 13, 2026
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7 min read
Image of a group of students meeting with their teacher. One student is giving the teacher a high-five.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva
School Climate & Safety What 3 Top Principals Do So Students Feel Like They Belong at School
Principals use belonging, mentorship, and creative incentives to boost attendance.
Olina Banerji, March 10, 2026
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5 min read
Screen Shot 2026 03 08 at 9.29.05 AM
Canva
School & District Management Opinion School Leaders Must Protect Their Own Well-Being. Here Are the 3 Areas to Watch
Principals are under enormous stress. Don’t downplay it.
Michael Nelson & Peter DeWitt, March 8, 2026
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4 min read
Damon Lewis.
"We're going to get to the standards ... but we have to make sure that our kids feel safe enough to come into our building," said Damon Lewis, the principal for Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy in Norwalk, Conn., and the National Middle Level Principal of the Year in 2025.
Allyssa Hynes/NASSP/NASSP via reporter
School Climate & Safety Q&A This Principal Puts Relationships Ahead of Content. Here’s How
A school leader discusses how he and his staff create a safe and supportive learning environment.
Lauraine Langreo, March 6, 2026
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5 min read
Image with icons for "i" information, email, eye for "watch", and locks.
Collage via Canva
Privacy & Security How School Leaders Can Combat Rising Cyber Threats
Continuous training and student engagement can be key in protecting schools.
Olina Banerji, March 5, 2026
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4 min read