Superintendents

Sackets Harbor Central School District Superintendent Jennifer Gaffney poses with first-grade students during a school parade on May 16, 2025.
Sackets Harbor Central School District Superintendent Jennifer Gaffney poses with first-grade students during a school event on May 16, 2025.
Courtesy of Jennifer Gaffney
School & District Management Q&A How One District Fought to Get a Family Out of Immigration Detention
Jennifer Gaffney, the superintendent of the Sackets Harbor Central school district in New York, says leaders must do what is right for students.
Ileana Najarro, May 22, 2025
5 min read
Human hands created secure environment for children via home roof gesture. Adults taking care of vulnerable students.
Mary Long/iStock + Education Week
School & District Management Opinion Denver Superintendent: Why We Sued the Federal Government
Education leaders shouldn't remain apolitical in the face of immigration enforcement changes and other threats from the Trump administration.
Alex Marrero, May 9, 2025
6 min read
A hand offering a small school building.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
School & District Management Opinion 'We Get to Be a Kayak': Why This Superintendent Isn't Panicking Over Politics
A small, rural district is ready to prove the relevance of its schools to parents and policymakers.
George Philhower, April 28, 2025
4 min read
Tightly cropped photo of an African American woman's hands around a paper cutout of different colored paper people.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management A Superintendent's Balancing Act Amid Trump's DEI Crackdown
Districts are trying to navigate a dizzying pace of new federal orders and continue working with as little fanfare as possible.
Caitlynn Peetz, April 23, 2025
6 min read
Illustration of silhouetted group of business people and binary code in abstract bright lights
iStock/Getty
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, April 2, 2025
6 min read
a red paper airplane winds around obstacles made of wadded up pieces of paper
iStock/Getty
School & District Management How Superintendents Can Prioritize the Political Part of the Job
The superintendency is increasingly a political role, experts said.
Evie Blad, March 20, 2025
4 min read
Photograph of crime scene tape and school.
F. Sheehan for Education Week / Getty
School Climate & Safety Leading a District After a School Shooting Is Hard. These Superintendents Want to Help
A network of superintendents who've led districts after school shootings plans to support colleagues recovering from similar crises.
Evie Blad, March 18, 2025
4 min read
Illustration of neutral warning symbols, with two standing out in the colors red and blue.
filo/DigitalVision Vectors + EdWeek
School & District Management There's No Escaping It, Superintendents: Your Jobs Are Political
Superintendents can't avoid the political nature of their work. New resources aim to help.
Evie Blad, March 11, 2025
2 min read
David Schuler, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, speaks at the organization's National Conference on Education on March 6, 2025, in New Orleans.
David Schuler, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, speaks at the organization's National Conference on Education on March 6, 2025, in New Orleans.
Sandy Huffaker/AASA
School & District Management Q&A Schools Need to Teach the ‘New Basics’ to Prepare Kids for Careers, Leaders Say
A school superintendents group's "Public Education Promise" focuses on preparing students for a changing workforce.
Evie Blad, March 10, 2025
6 min read
Walter Gonsoulin Jr., was named National Superintendent of the Year on March 6, 2025. Gonsoulin is the superintendent of the Jefferson County school district in Alabama.
Walter Gonsoulin Jr. was named National Superintendent of the Year on March 6, 2025, at the National Conference on Education in New Orleans. Gonsoulin is the superintendent of the Jefferson County school district in Alabama.
Courtesy of AASA, The School Superintendents Association
School & District Management 2025 Superintendent of the Year Honored for Building Career-Focused Academies
The newly named superintendent of the year focused on course offerings that could prepare students for local, high-wage jobs.
Caitlynn Peetz, March 7, 2025
2 min read
A man places his hand on top of his head as he looks up at an upwardly pointing arrow turning downward as it turns a corner.
iStock/Getty Images
School & District Management Do Students Suffer When a Superintendent Leaves? A New Study Has an Answer
A new study is the first in a while to explore how students fare academically when there's turnover in the district's top office.
Caitlynn Peetz, February 7, 2025
5 min read
Vector image of many professionals, diversity, highlighting hispanic.
Liz Yap/Education Week and iStock/Getty
School & District Management What Latino Superintendents Say It Will Take to Grow Their Ranks
Three Latino superintendents talked about the direct and indirect paths to building a pipeline of future district leaders of color.
Caitlynn Peetz, February 4, 2025
4 min read
Dr. Jennifer Norrell, superintendent of East Aurora School District 131, visits East Aurora students at the Music Recording Studio at Resilience Education Center in Aurora, Ill., on Dec. 4, 2024.
Jennifer Norrell, superintendent of East Aurora School District 131, visits students at a recording studio at the district's new Resilience Education Center in Aurora, Ill., on Dec. 4, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Leader To Learn From This Leader Said All Kids Will Do College-Level Work. What It Took to Get There
Jennifer Norrell led an effort to more than double the percentage of high schoolers taking AP in her district.
Sarah Schwartz, February 3, 2025
12 min read
Jennifer Norrell, superintendent of East Aurora School District 131, stands for a portrait at the Resilience Education Center in Aurora, Ill., on Dec. 4, 2024.
Jennifer Norrell, superintendent of East Aurora School District 131, at the Resilience Education Center in Aurora, Ill., on Dec. 4, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for Education Week
Reading & Literacy Q&A Why Reading Support Classes Help High Schoolers Succeed
Biology, literature, calculus, U.S. history—all high school courses, regardless of subject, require a strong literacy skills.
Sarah Schwartz, February 3, 2025
4 min read