Voices From The Field

Thinking about moving into school leadership? Or know someone who is? Here are ten essential mindsets and professional learning insights—along with ten popular blog posts—to support your path forward.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have a powerful lineup of uplifting quotes from K-12 education leaders and New Leaders alumnae. Read on and feel empowered.

Explore highlights from our 2023 report, Bold Visions, Bold Solutions: Redefining How Schools Are Led. Thank you for joining us in the pursuit of excellence in our nation’s schools.

Ever dream of starting a new school? Here’s how one New Leaders alum and his team transformed a question into a thriving middle school community.

In honor of Black History Month, we have an incredible lineup of uplifting quotes from K-12 school leaders and New Leaders alumni. Read on and feel inspired!

Our Fellowship is the focus of a case study by the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Learn how the Fellowship came to be and how we are developing transformational school leaders.

Here are ten leadership actions—and ten popular blog posts—that explore the many aspects of effective school leadership. Dive in today and jumpstart your leadership skills.

Looking for that burst of inspiration on-the-go? Try a podcast. Convenient and engaging, here are a few podcasts to jump-start your professional learning in the new year.

School leadership does not have to be lonely. Here’s how one New Leaders alum and principal relies on her New Leaders cohort for support and guidance—and how you can too.

Discover how one district, in partnership with New Leaders, developed leaders of teams, leaders of schools, and leaders of systems in tandem—and is driving instructional excellence and equity at scale.

Our nation’s schools need well-prepared leaders. Leaders at every level in the K12 education ecosystem have a role to play in supporting the next generation of principals. Here’s how.

In honor of National Principals Month, we have an amazing lineup of motivational quotes from principals and New Leaders alumni. Read on and feel the inspiration!

From teacher to assistant principal, learn how one New Leaders Fellowship alum stepped into school leadership to be for her students what was missing in her education journey.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re sharing real stories of K12 leaders who exemplify the belief that all children are capable of extraordinary things. Read on.

Want to do more for the students in your community? Here are tried-and-true ways K12 educators and leaders can explore opportunities to step into more leadership roles and amplify their impact.

Hear from three key leaders—New Leaders CEO, our chief financial and strategy officer, and a fellow from our National Aspiring Principals Fellowship—on how we can transform schools for the better.

Mott Haven Academy Charter School is the first of its kind to serve students and families impacted by the child welfare system. Discover what is motivating Haven Academy for next year.

This spring, over 50 New Leaders alumni and current New Leaders participants gathered in Memphis, Tennessee. Learn how one district and local foundations are supporting the development of leaders at every level.

The inaugural cohort of the National Aspiring Principals Fellowship is principal-ready and looking to lead. Go behind the scenes of their leadership seminar and see what the Fellowship does best.

We continue to share real stories of women leaders at every level who serve as powerful and positive forces for change. May they inspire you to step more into leadership too.

Maintaining momentum is essential in schools and districts this time of year. Learn how one New Leaders alum is leading with his values and fueling collective effort across his network.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re sharing real stories of leaders at every level who serve as powerful and positive forces for change—and redefine what is possible in education.

Job-embedded coaching for school and district leaders can be a game-changer. Here are ten reasons why leadership coaching might be a good fit for you.

In honor of Black History Month, we’re sharing real stories of leaders who exemplify the belief that all children are capable of extraordinary things. Be inspired.

Building a diverse pipeline of school leaders who are well prepared and supported enables districts to retain the kind of talent that ensures all students thrive. Here’s how.

We can do more to systematically improve the strength and diversity of our nation’s principals. Here’s what our research tells us—and here’s where districts and states are making an impact.

New Leaders alum Jonathan Humphrey shares his journey from teacher to principal to civic engagement leader. Learn how he is mobilizing people in his community to become voices for change.

As 2022 comes to a close, we are reminded of why we must build on our strengths. Here’s how we are moving forward in bigger and bolder ways in 2023.

Both convenient and engaging, podcasts offer a burst of inspiration and professional learning on-the-go. Here are five great podcasts for school leaders and their staff. Listen in.

Our innovative model for principal certification—National Aspiring Principals Fellowship—is nationally recognized for its potential to drive economic advancement for Black educators in the next five to 20 years.

In partnership with the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women, our alumni gained valuable insight on the challenges and opportunities of leaning into their authentic leadership as Black women.

As National Principals Month comes to a close, we’re elevating principal voices to motivate and inspire the next generation of aspiring principals to step into the role. Read on.

In honor of National Principals Month, we’re elevating more principal voices and all the ways school leaders build thriving school cultures that enable teachers and students to shine.

In honor of National Principals Month, we’re elevating principal voices. From building relationships to finding joy, from taking risks to transforming schools, your stories continue to inspire.

For many schools and districts, teacher shortages will continue to be a challenge. To flip the script, let’s focus on why teachers stay in the classroom and why it might be the key to retention.

Learn how one New Leaders alum and his team are building a learning environment filled with joy and a school culture where the adults and students want to be there.

Need a dose of inspiration? Ideas to enhance your leadership? Here are five TED Talks from influential leaders that you can watch on your own or reflect on with your team.

Podcasts are a convenient way to stay current and learn something new. Here are six podcasts to try as you move through the final few weeks of summer and beyond.

Six New Leaders alumni share their leadership journey and offer insights, advice, and strategies for education leaders to transform our schools and districts for the better.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the changes it brought to K-12 education also signaled new ways to move our schools forward. Here are a few of those insights.

Seeing yourself in leadership—also known as representation—allows students to imagine what they can become. The same is true for adults. Hear from one leader about why that matters.

Summer break is a time to focus on your own learning and add to your leadership toolkit. Here are eight books for your summer reading list recommended by our staff.

It’s been a year—and no doubt your leadership made all the difference. Now it’s time to catch your breath. Learn how to restore, retool, and recommit this summer.

In this era of the Great Resignation, when 40% of principals anticipate leaving their roles, district leaders need to develop resilient leaders who can meet the challenges ahead. Here’s how.

Learn how one New Leaders alum and district leader is investing in teachers and leaders in our nation’s capital to redefine public education and motivate them to stay.

Considering starting on the path to principalship? With the help of a few New Leaders alumni, we’ve put together some insights to consider as you’re thinking about your next step.

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) Month, we explore common AAPI stereotypes perpetuated in K-12 schools and three ways educators can disrupt them.

In honor of our 20 year anniversary, New Leaders is celebrating our talented and committed staff—and the passion that draws each of us to our work.

Arab-American culture and history are often overlooked in our schools. Hear from one New Leaders alum why that diversity matters and what it means for our students.

Learn how one HBCU graduate is spearheading our new online principal preparation and master’s degree program via a first-of-its-kind partnership with Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University.

In honor of National Assistant Principals Week, learn from one New Leaders alum how her work as assistant principal is fueling a sense of ownership in her school.

Hear from a New Leaders and Clark Atlanta University alum on the importance of representation in leadership and how both institutions shaped who she is as a principal today.

Hear from leaders in the field on why representation in school leadership matters and how developing equity-focused and diverse principals can be a game-changer for students.

In an era of the Great Resignation and educators leaving the field en masse, one school is seeing the opposite trend: almost 100% teacher retention. Here's how.

First-of-its-kind principal preparation and masters degree program designed in partnership with Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University to train the next generation of equity-focused principals.

Virtual coaching allows more school leaders access to coaching when it’s needed most. Coaching in a virtual environment is resource-effective, provides trusted thought partnership, and focuses on your leadership goals.

Celebrating women’s voices and insights from education leaders at every level. From spreading joy in our schools to empowering principals and teachers to motivating women to step into leadership roles.

In Part 2 of the series, practicing New Leaders alumni share what motivates them to stay in the profession as a source of inspiration for school leaders navigating pandemic-related challenges.

In honor of our 20 year anniversary, New Leaders is celebrating our talented and committed staff, and the passion that draws each of us to our work.

Woodson created the idea of celebrating Black history. His legacy demands school leaders to spread it before and after February.

From navigativing pandemic-related challenges to staffing shortages, education leaders are struggling to maintain their own well-being. We asked our New Leaders alumni to share what keeps them moving forward.

In honor of our 20 year anniversary, New Leaders is celebrating our talented and committed staff—and the passion that draws each of us to our work

Celebrating Black voices and insights from Black school leaders. From interrupting systemic racism to teaching the civil rights movement in color to advancing a vision of excellence in our schools.

Watching her community endure immense losses from COVID-19, one school leader is working to restore the humanity of teaching and learning for her students, teachers, families, and herself.

New Leaders alum Joaquin Tamayo shares his leadership journey from high school teacher to chief of staff to the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education—and what fuels his work.

Here are five top blog posts from 2021 that reflect what we most believe and inspire us to keep building schools that foster an equitable and just world.

Investments in school leadership have never been more important. Read more about how the Build Back Better Act could support both current and future education leaders.

In honor of our 20 year anniversary, New Leaders is celebrating our talented and committed staff—and the passion that draws each of us to our work. (Part Two)

How the annual New Leaders Roberts Award for School Innovation helps exceptional school leaders be proactive and respond to the specific needs of their school communities.

9/11 changed how one school leader saw the role of the principal and reinforced the deliberate dance between the “person” and the “position” of being a school leader.

In honor of New Leaders 20 year anniversary, we asked what it means to be a New Leader. Our #7wordstories capture the spirit of New Leaders. (Part Three)

In honor of New Leaders 20 year anniversary, we asked what it means to be a New Leader. Our #7wordstories capture the spirit of New Leaders. (Part Two)

In honor of our 20 year anniversary, New Leaders is celebrating our talented and committed staff—and the passion that draws each of us to our work. (Part One)

In honor of New Leaders 20 year anniversary, we asked what it means to be a New Leader. Our #7wordstories capture the spirit of New Leaders. (Part One)

New Leaders alum and principal, Eugene Stovall IV, shares how his journey back home to Oakland to teach—and eventually to lead a school—was not a straight line.

“New Leaders told me I couldn’t quit,” an alum reflects on her first day as a principal. Learn how she and her team transformed their school so all students excelled.

This year’s Atlantic Festival convened national thought leaders—including New Leaders CEO Jean Desravines—to discuss how the pandemic presents an opportunity for us to transform our public education system.

A New Leaders alum reflects on the power of small changes to enhance her leadership and team meetings. After a year of disrupted learning, these tips can deliver big wins.

A New Leaders alum and principal shares five leadership actions that carry him through the demands of this historic time and motivate his school to continue to do better.

Schools and districts cannot afford to pile on new initiatives without stopping the initiatives that no longer work. Simplifying, the fourth key leadership shift, can deliver results.

Leading through crisis requires that we magnify students' strengths and put them on a path toward success. Learn how one New Leaders alum and principal did just that.

How can you reimagine the roles parents play as we build more equitable schools? Partnership is one of four key leadership shifts we’re exploring this July.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) presents a critical opportunity to improve education in bold and dramatic ways. As education leaders, we must seize the moment.

A New Leaders alum and principal reflects on what cultural competency, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) month, and representation in leadership mean to him as a school leader.

A New Leaders alum and coach reflects on distributed leadership: “I knew if I created a partnership with my team, we could build the culture our students needed to thrive.”

New Leaders alum and assistant principal rethinks their curricula to zero in on student voice and identity. “One thing we have control over is how we engage students in learning.”

How one New Leaders alum and charter leader is creating a space where leaders can be vulnerable and develop empathy to coach their staff through more virtual schooling.

Hear from one of our principal trainers on how to develop adaptive and resilient leadership. “It’s all about having an asset-based mindset, even when you are pushed to your limits.

In-person instruction? Remote? Hybrid? The options are swirling. One New Leaders alum and principal reflects on the power of our Transformational Leadership Framework to ground his leadership choices.

Educators are deep into planning this summer. Here’s how one New Leaders alum and principal is engaging all voices in creating a new vision for their school community.

How to keep the dialogue going, focus on solutions, and engage your school community in addressing racism and rethinking the upcoming school year. One New Leaders alum shares her story.

Two New Leaders alumni and principals are rethinking the systems and structures that disproportionately impact Black students. Here’s what they are doing and how you can do it, too.

With the unjust losses of Black lives taken too soon, and social unrest from coast to coast, here is how education leaders can respond and advance equity in their schools.

Now more than ever, education leaders need time to pause, reflect, and rethink how they want to lead moving forward. One New Leaders alum and principal shows us how.

Two New Leaders alumni and school principals discuss how they plan to advance summer learning, overcome communication challenges, and adapt their leadership to move forward in new ways.

Watch five New Leaders alumni and principals speak to how they are answering the call to lead. They share in the anxiety of not knowing how long the pandemic will last and demonstrate daily resiliency.

Three New Leaders alumni and school leaders speak to how they are protecting the learning of their most vulnerable students and caring for the well-being of families during this crisis.

A New Leaders alum and principal is creating a brand-new blueprint for instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out what is working well for students, staff, and families.

“I can’t tell what day it is,” Principal Felipe Jackson reflects. Learn how this New Leaders alum is leading through crisis and motivating his school to get through the pandemic together.