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In my over 25 years as an educator, I’ve learned a lot about education leadership with the understanding that leadership comes in many forms, and everyone has an important role to play in reducing inequality in our schools.

‘I Don’t Know What to Do’: Facing Today’s Education Leadership Challenges

3 steps for creating a safe learning environment amid political storms This article was originally published in Education Week on June 17, 2024. By Jennifer P. Cheatham and Bonnie Lo These days, education leaders are responding to one political battle after another. Many of those challenges have sprung from the conservative right (e.g., anti-critical race […]

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3 Skills to Help Leaders Navigate in Uncertain Times

Ed. leaders must pay deep attention to themselves, their communities, the nation, and the world This article was originally published in Education Week on June 12, 2024. By Jennifer P. Cheatham I have been working with my colleague, former school Superintendent Carl Cohn, on equity-focused political leadership for as long as we have known each […]

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I Teach Educators How to Change Their Minds. Here’s How

The harsh setbacks brought on by the pandemic, the deeply partisan political climate, and the ensuing culture wars have made it nearly impossible to engage in dialogue that leads to authentic learning.

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Can Superintendents’ Evaluation Lead to Their Own Growth?

Reflecting with candor on her own tenure in district leadership, the author details the challenge of making the process ‘protective, transparent and relational’

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3 Shifts That Will Benefit Every New Ed. Leader

We need leaders who can develop shared visions of what school can be.

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Healing-Centered Leadership

The challenge of balancing the collective trauma communities have experienced with the responsibility of teaching and learning at high levels.

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Part Three: Are Your Leadership Practices Good Enough for Racial Justice?

You don’t need to be a ‘savior.’ You do need to put building trust and reaching out at the top of your list.

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Part Two: Does Your District’s Way of Decisionmaking Reinforce Systemic Racism?

Leaders must ask if their vision of student success reflects what Black and Latinx families say is most important.

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Part One: Ed. Leaders: Discuss Race, Call Out White Supremacy

Downplaying the realities of racism leads to misunderstanding school problems and developing inadequate solutions.

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