Rabbi Barry Kislowicz is the head of school at Fuchs Mizrachi School (Ohio). Here he takes time to reflect on the course of his professional life as it has evolved from camp counselor, to classroom teacher, to division director, to division principal. He writes in this article that when he had the opportunity to make his most recent transition to…

The skill set asked of today's top educators is demanding, with higher education boards of trustees targeting versatile leaders able to raise funds, speak to the media and serve as an institution's academic authority, all while maneuvering among constituent groups seeking their time and attention. Community college presidents, in particular,…

This article posits that the restorative practice of community circles offers middle school students a safe, empowering space where moments of social and emotional strife can be addressed and possibly prevented. It also recognizes that by creating a safe and empowering classroom community, students who have or are experiencing trauma can find…

The author presents a summary of the changing role of the traditional superintendent within the United States through the lens of how this work can be challenged or encouraged by the relationship with her or his respective board. The author emphasizes how the evolving roles of both the superintendent and school board member have contributed to the…

Systems, structures, and practices perpetuate disparities because they reinforce barriers that sort and separate students based on assumed success or failure. When students are disadvantaged in this way, the implicit message is that their learning doesn't matter. The counterpoint to these discriminatory systems is an asset-based approach, which is…

After the First World War, the second generation of headmistresses were working in a Britain in which the secondary education of girls was generally accepted. In 1920, Phyllis Monk, a former Blackheath student and Roedean teacher, was appointed to take charge of Chorleywood College, a new secondary school for girls with a vision impairment. She…

The American Rescue Plan Act has made funds available to states and districts to speed up recovery from the effects of COVID-19, including addressing learning loss. The Wallace Foundation has distilled evidence from its work that may be helpful in informing choices about how to spend those funds, as well as how to implement key strategies.…

Meria Carstarphen, superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, has nearly 20 years of experience in educational leadership, primarily in urban school districts. Her previous roles included superintendent in Austin, Texas, from 2009 to 2014 and administrator in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia. She serves as a commissioner and…

As a principal, Sarah E. Fiarman learned that developing teacher leadership requires more than merely soliciting teacher input. "School leaders," she writes, "need to create a culture in which each professional feels an urgent responsibility to influence the achievement of all students." To promote such a schoolwide leadership…

This article presents an interview with Kulvarn Atwal, headteacher at a primary school in London. Mr. Atwal discusses the challenges of post-graduate study and the impact of his studies on his professional practice. He explains how he discovered workplace learning theories and communities of practice during his studies and how he incorporated…

Preparing good leaders depends not only on providing good initial professional learning, but also on creating a strong support structure during the early years of practice. However, what good mentoring looks and sounds like varies widely in practice. Many mentoring programs for education leaders consist of buddy-like relationships that provide…

Transitioning to a new role can be challenging whether at one's current institution or at a new one. Often, the resources that are meant to help with the transition are written by those who have been in the field for many years and who are far removed from the excitement, trepidation, and, at times, uncertainty that may attend a new role. As a…

Educational research has been at the forefront of educational transformation by examining how learning occurs and enabling ways of learning notably through designing and implementing learning innovations. However, learning innovations are complex. There are multiple embedded contexts involving classrooms, schools, communities, homes and the wider…

Drawing on nationally representative data from the 1988 to 2018 school years, the authors provide an overview of some of the key changes in the characteristics of first-year teachers in the U.S., including racial/ethnic identity, education levels, subject area, and certification status. The data also show that new teachers have become increasingly…

In Washington, D.C., and Tulsa, Okla., districts whose efforts are supported by the Wallace Foundation, principal supervisors concentrate on bolstering their principals' work to improve instruction, as opposed to focusing on the managerial or operational aspects of running a school. Supervisors oversee fewer schools, which enables them to provide…