The only organization dedicated solely to helping state boards advance equity and excellence in public education.

May 2026 — Volume 26, No. 2
Reimagining the Roles of Teachers and Leaders


Amid national discussions of ways to recruit and keep teachers and leaders in a demanding profession, experts highlight the many ways states are restructuring staffing and instruction to make teaching more manageable and rewarding.




Articles


Diverse adults gather around map.

A State Leader’s Guide to Strategic School Staffing

By John Luczak, Allison Pennington and Sarah Begeman

Redesigning teacher roles can solve several problems confronting schools at once.





Diverse adults join hands in center of a circle

Half as Likely to Leave: What Team-Based Staffing Means for Teacher Retention

By R. Lennon Audrain and Richard Ingersoll

By treating retention as a challenge of system and organizational design, state boards can encourage more teachers to stay in the profession.





Jigsaw puzzle pieces fall into place.

Achieving Results through School Redesign

By Sharon Kebschull Barrett and Bryan C. Hassel

Five principles guide staffing design, and state leaders have three tasks.





Three professionals share a light-hearted moment during a collaborative meeting, showcasing teamwork and a positive workplace atmosphere in a modern office environment.

Supporting and Sustaining Paid Teacher Residencies

By Julie Fitz, Cathy Yun, Victoria Wang, Jennifer Bland, Wesley Wei and Steve Wojcikiewicz

California and Texas offer up lessons in how strategic staffing can help.





A group of four multi-ethnic adults sitting at a table in the library working on a project together. They are using books and conversing. One man is standing, holding a textbook. In the background are shelves of books.

Bold Bets to Elevate School Leaders

By Megan Bennett and Chelsi Chang

State boards can help revolutionize the principalship.





Portrait of Caucasian man wearing glasses standing in classroom holding digital tablet smiling at camera with chalkboard behind displaying AI prompting instructions

How State Policy Can Help Teachers Use AI Well

By Bree Dusseault, Shira Haderlein, Emily Prymula, Chelsea Waite, Melissa Fall, Michael Berardino and Dana Harrison

Smart guidance will give teachers the time, trust, and support to make technological leaps that advance learning.






Opinion


An over-the-shoulder shot of a teacher smiling in a meeting, wearing smart-casual clothing. The teachers are sitting in an office within a secondary school in Gateshead, England.

The NASBE Interview: Rotunda Floyd-Cooper

Transformative principals really are not born out of thin air; they must be developed.





States Have Permission to Reimagine Staffing, but Do They Have a Vision for It?

By Titilayo Tinubu Ali

Strategic staffing offers a way to redistribute responsibilities so that expertise is shared, roles are differentiated, and support is embedded in daily practice.







Featured Items

Group of students working on an algebra project in classroom setting, engaging in collaborative learning while sitting around table and sharing ideas on assignment i

Leaders Back Statewide Plans to Improve Math Learning

Leading states have been launching or expanding plans to bolster students’ math learning.
Library education reference books on math and science STEM subjects vital for academic study in computer science, AI and engineering. i

Seven Questions State Boards Should Ask about High-Quality Instructional Materials

A shared curriculum holds the entire educational enterprise together.
Complexity of thought processes and the human mind. Thoughts, creativity, emotions, mental health, vibrant art collage. Psychology, self-analysis, mental disorders and wellbeing, cognitive processes i

States Take Next Steps on Governing AI Use in Schools

In 2026, state boards of education are likely to move beyond issuing AI guidance and toward monitoring implementation and possibly developing policies.

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