Leadership

Tony Watlington plans to reach new heights in Philadelphia

Superintendent Tony Watlington, District Administration's 2025 Superintendent of the Year, is determined to make The School District of Philadelphia the fastest-improving large urban system in the U.S.

How these 6 assistant principals earned national recognition

This year, six middle and high school level APs are being recognized by the NASSP for their contributions to student success, school improvement and education leadership.

Successful Budget Planning: A Practical Approach to Aligning Financial Resources with Educational Goals

Date & Time: Thursday, April 17th at 2 p.m. ET

In this 30-minute Ed Talk, experts in the field, including a former Purchasing Manager at Eau Claire Area School District, will explore key strategies for successful budgeting practices, from optimizing spending, to addressing common financial challenges, to ensure your financial decisions support both your district’s immediate needs and long-term goals.

***All attendees will be able to securely downloadCooperative Purchasing 101: A Guide for Public Agencies, a valuable resource that will help you explore how cooperative purchasing can support your district's budget planning efforts.

School communications: Why leaders have a big, new priority

Community engagement is becoming more critical because of changing federal policy on immigration enforcement, school choice, gender identity and diversity initiatives, communications organization says.

On the move: The latest superintendent hires and promotions

Clark County Schools in Nevada has selected state superintendent s its next leader, Jhone Ebert, a former educator in the district.

3 education issues governors prioritized in their state addresses

Mental health, school choice and academics were among the many educational issues governors promised to improve in their 2025 State of the State addresses.

11 ways to describe K12 education with research

A new survey of K12 administrators shows signs of improvement in several prominent issues impacting education, including teacher shortages and retention.

How to better guide budget discussions at board meetings

More than half of board members are labeled "silent observers" during budget deliberations, new research confirms. Here's how superintendents can prompt meaningful discussions.

How K12 can enter a promising new age of leadhership

Two women share their journeys to the superintendency and the roadblocks aspiring female leaders should expect—and how to overcome them.

Mindfulness for school leaders: 4 ways to transform your day

Mindfulness offers a pathway to slow down, refocus and move with greater intentionality. Even small moments of calm can ripple out to energize the entire school environment.

A 50-state look at the well-being of LGBTQ+ young people

The well-being of LGBTQ+ young people suffers not because of who they are but due to mistreatment and stigmatization, a leading suicide-prevention organization contends. 

How are K12 superintendents addressing looming school closures?

Three districts have discussed possible closures in the past week. Here's how their respective leaders are communicating their plans.

These 5 cyber threats hurt the most, and how to protect yourself

Investing in the "human element" of cybersecurity goes a long way, a new study from the Center for Internet Security declares. Here's how to get started.

How a lesson can save a life: Educator’s guide to “A Teddy Bear’s Dream”

Imagine a world where teddy bears are no longer symbols of childhood innocence, but memorials to young lives lost. This is the stark reality "A Teddy Bear's Dream" confronts us with.

Walter B. Gonsoulin Jr. named AASA’s Superintendent of the Year

Gonsoulin is superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools in Alabama, the state's second-largest district, and previously led Fairfield City Schools.

Expert warns schools may face a ‘fiscal buzzsaw’ this year

As talks about dismantling the Education Department and DEI continue, here's some expert advice on how to navigate the upcoming school year.

DA+ leans into the power of collaborative problem solving

District Administration’s new platform will provide members with up-to-the-minute resources while building an engaging community.

There are 6 ways schools could feel Medicaid cuts

The superintendents' association and other advocacy groups warn Congress funding cuts would harm the most vulnerable students.

This new FAQ answers your questions about DEI guidance

A new resource answers leaders' questions about Education Department's new laws prohibiting DEI programming.

2 ways to better integrate literacy and science instruction

At a time when research points to continued declines in reading and science achievement, new data suggests the need for blending literacy and science instruction as a solution.

How schools are—and are not—revamping DEI programs

Both K12 and higher ed are scrambling to define their policy in response to the Trump Administration's order to end all DEI programming.

Despite headaches, school nutrition programs see a surge

Twenty-nine percent of all public schools are giving students free breakfast and lunch this school year, which is a sizeable increase from 21% in October 2022.

Student mental health: Early intervention is most important

Student mental health will continue to suffer if schools don't have the resources to intervene until kids are in crisis, a new report contends. 

Here’s when you need to reevaluate DEI programming

K12 and higher education institutions may be punished for not halting all diversity, equity and inclusion-based initiatives.

Women leaders: Bias is not getting better in K12

Nearly nine in 10 women "feel pressure to dress, speak or behave a certain way because of being a woman in a senior leadership role," survey finds

Closed schools: Here is where a bad flu season has canceled classes

Whether this flu season is worse than normal or even unprecedented, one fact is clear: outbreaks have closed schools and entire districts in several parts of the country.

Here’s what superintendents think of the Title IX reversal

State Superintendents have mixed opinions of the revert to Title IX's 2020 regulations. Here's what they're saying.

New executive order bans transgender athletes from girls’ sports

K12 schools that fail to comply with Title IX regulations will risk receiving federal funding, said Trump during Wednesday's signing ceremony.

Behavioral threat assessment: Better strategies for schools

When students misbehave, responding with support leads to more effective behavioral threat assessment and management as school leaders work to prevent violence, according to a new analysis. 

We must unlock the untapped power of women in education leadership

Women bring vision, resilience, outcomes and a proven ability to foster collaboration in the most challenging of circumstances. They are so often precisely the leaders our school systems need.

New Title IX protections are wiped out by Trump administration

Gender identity and sexual orientation will no longer be protected under Title IX. Instead, schools will return to enforcing protections on the basis of biological sex.

#EduSky: It is the new #edchat on social media?

You'll want to be quick with an answer if a school board member asks you, "How are we using BlueSky to tell the district's story?"

The courage to lead: Navigating the unseen frontier of leadership

Leadership and courage have always been intertwined, but their relationship is more complex than it appears at first glance.

Strategic planning: A look at one superintendent’s new approach

‘We don’t know where we’re going to be’ in five years, says Woodstown-Pilesgrove Superintendent Christopher Meyrick. Let’s create shorter, manageable goals instead.

How this Superintendent of the Year inspires inclusivity

St. Cloud Area School District Superintendent Laurie Putnam relies on her exceptional team to focus on one of the district’s primary commitments: to create a culture of belonging.