AASA, The School Superintendents Association

09/05/2026

Webinar: How do principals actually learn to lead? Not in a training manual, but in real time, on the job.

A new Wallace Foundation report digs into how school principals grow throughout their careers, what support is working and what's missing. Join us for a conversation on building stronger learning systems for school leaders.

📅 Sept. 30, 12-1 p.m. ET
🔗 Register: https://links.aasa.org/4h9nnVy

This session shares findings from a recent report, commissioned by The Wallace Foundation, on how school principals learn over the course of their careers.

09/04/2026

"If the E-Rate program were to be cut, that would impact the schools' budgets for technology. The Montgomery County Council has already reduced the school's technology modernization budget by half, said Taylor.

'This means that computer devices that teachers and students use aren't refreshed. This means making tough choices about software programs that do help children learn, and also systems that help support our families in trying to access learning. All of that gets called into question and forces some difficult choices,' said Taylor."

Read more: https://links.aasa.org/4iac8xh

Potential cuts to a federal program that helps pay for school and libraries could put a big dent in Montgomery County Public Schools' funding, the superintendent warned. Montgomery County is not alon...

09/04/2026

Leading through disagreement isn't easy, especially when communities experience challenges differently.

“Navigating difference becomes more complicated when inequalities exist.”

This feature examines how leaders can foster productive conversations while recognizing the realities and experiences that shape differing perspectives.

Read more: https://links.aasa.org/4xzGoq5

Making meaningful connections amid increasing political polarization and deepening social divisions.

09/04/2026

You don't have to plan your summer program alone. The District Summer Learning Network (DSLN) helps districts turn the opportunity of summer into results.

Member districts across the country are already using DSLN's evidence-based tools, expert assistance, and peer support to increase summer attendance and improve student outcomes.

Join DSLN and get the summer learning support you need. Fill out our interest form to get started or learn more: https://links.aasa.org/4wCBKGm

09/03/2026

What if hope isn't something students find on their own, but something the adults around them hand to them every day?

Kerri B. Stroka shares why she sees hope as a working condition, not a feeling, and what it takes for school leaders to build it and keep it.

Read her full reflection on AASA's blog: https://links.aasa.org/4x297mb

09/02/2026

💭 What would happen to your district's internet bill if E-Rate went away?

For some districts, the answer is simple: the bill triples. Maybe quadruples. E-Rate was built to close that gap based on need — not geography — and right now, that support is up for review at the FCC.

In our latest PEP Talk podcast episode, our Advocacy team breaks down what's happening and why it matters for every district leader.

Join the conversation. Register for our virtual town hall happening September 9: https://links.aasa.org/461LUpb

09/02/2026

Public trust isn't built through messaging. It's built through relationships.

“Why does public trust matter? It is the currency superintendents and school boards spend in service of students…”

In this month's feature, Caitlin Sullivan explores how listening can strengthen community connections, build credibility and create the conditions for meaningful engagement.

Read more: https://links.aasa.org/4zPlqVA

Creating public trust with those in a school community in ways that are visible and felt.

09/02/2026

🧠 When a student gets a question wrong, what happens next matters more than the answer itself.

Do they shut down? Guess again without thinking? Or pause, ask "why did I miss this," and try again with new information?

That pause has a name: reflection. It's one of four brain based skills, alongside working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control, that quietly shape whether a student can bounce back from a wrong answer, a hard year, or a tough conversation.

The right skills and support turn adversity into something students can move through, not something that defines them.

See what Reflection looks like for both students and educators. ⬇️

https://links.aasa.org/4yY2sM7

09/01/2026

For Erin Rathke, superintendent of Eastern Carver County Schools in Minnesota, hope starts with listening to children.

It's making sure students have a voice at the school board table. It's the district's Youth Participatory Evaluators, students who interview their peers, gather real feedback, and bring it directly to the board and cabinet. It's showing up in the hallways and building relationships that remind kids they're seen.

Hope isn't something district leaders talk about from a distance. It's built through the daily choice to listen to children and act on what they hear.

That's the Public Education Promise in action! https://links.aasa.org/4wZdCPo

09/01/2026

A familiar rhythm returns at the start of each school year: buses on the road, classrooms ready, families walking in with equal parts excitement and uncertainty. Underneath it all is something educators rarely get time to sit with — hope.

AASA Executive Director David Schuler writes about what a new school year makes possible: another chance for the student who struggled, a teacher ready to inspire, a district building the conditions for everyone to succeed together.

AASA exists for the people leading districts, supporting schools and showing up for children, day after day.

Be part of our community carrying hope forward: https://links.aasa.org/4gbEu92