The 2026 midterm elections have delivered a powerful message about the direction of our nation, the priorities of voters, and the future of public education. With Democrats winning control of both chambers of Congress and capturing several governorships previously held by Republicans, the election represents a significant shift in the political landscape. For educators and school system leaders, the implications extend well beyond partisan politics. They raise fundamental questions about educational opportunity, fairness, accountability, and the federal government’s responsibility to support public schools.

Federal Education Policy at a Crossroads

Perhaps the most consequential outcome is the potential for increased congressional oversight of the current administration’s efforts to reduce the federal government’s role in education. Democratic congressional leadership is expected to challenge reductions in federal education funding, changes to civil rights enforcement, and efforts to diminish the U.S. Department of Education.

However, a divided government will require negotiation and compromise. Presidential veto authority remains an important constraint, making bipartisan cooperation essential to meaningful policy changes.

School Choice, Funding, and State Leadership

Gubernatorial elections also revealed growing tensions surrounding school vouchers, educational funding, and public accountability. Democratic victories in Texas and Iowa were particularly noteworthy, as candidates challenged existing voucher policies while advocating stronger investments in public schools.

These outcomes suggest that debates about parental choice must also address transparency, fiscal responsibility, and equitable access to high-quality educational opportunities.

What This Means for Educational Leaders

Regardless of political affiliation, school system leaders must remain focused on improving student outcomes while navigating an increasingly complex policy environment.

Three leadership priorities deserve particular attention.

First, protect educational equity and opportunity. Leaders must ensure that students, particularly those historically underserved, have access to effective teachers, rigorous instruction, supportive learning environments, and the resources necessary for success. Second, strengthen public trust and community engagement. Election results reinforce the importance of listening to families, communicating transparently about educational outcomes, and demonstrating responsible stewardship of public resources. Third, maintain an unwavering commitment to instructional improvement. Political transitions cannot distract from the urgent work of improving literacy, reducing chronic absenteeism, strengthening principal leadership, and preparing students for college, careers, and civic participation.

Leadership Beyond the Election

The 2026 midterms remind us that elections have consequences, but sustainable educational improvement requires more than changes in political leadership. Our responsibility as educators is not to advance partisan agendas but to advocate for and deliver on policies and practices that serve every student.

As the nation enters another period of political transition, educational leaders must demonstrate courage, clarity, and a commitment to the public good. The ultimate measure of this election’s impact on public education will not be which political party gained power, but whether the resulting policies expand opportunity, strengthen schools, and improve outcomes for all of America’s children.

Education leaders gathered in Philadelphia, PA for the 2026 Equity-Centered Principal Pipeline Initiative (ECPI) Peer Learning Community (PLC) convened by The Wallace Foundation and the Aspen Institute (October 5-7), themed: Rooted, Resilient, and Restored. The moment presented an important opportunity to reflect on a fundamental question: How do we move equity-centered leadership from an initiative to an enduring way of doing business in our school systems?

Since its launch in 2021, The Wallace Foundation’s ECPI grant has supported eight large urban school districts in developing comprehensive, aligned principal pipelines designed to prepare, support, and sustain education leaders who advance fairness in education and improve student outcomes.

The participating ECPI districts in: Baltimore, MD; Columbus, OH; the District of Columbia; Fresno, CA; Jefferson County, KY; Portland, OR; San Antonio, TX; and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, NC—have approached this work within their unique contexts while sharing a commitment to strengthening leadership practices, organizational coherence, and opportunities for all students.

The Power of Collective Learning

One of ECPI’s greatest strengths is its emphasis on collaborative professional learning. The PLC provided opportunities for district leaders to challenge assumptions, examine evidence, share promising practices, and learn from one another. This event featured keynote speakers including Philadelphia Superintendent, Dr. Tony Watlington and Dr. Muhammad Khalifa (author and professor from The Ohio State University), a partnership Showcase Exchange sharing insights and impact in action, Role-Alike Sessions, District Dialogues, and Learning Outings in local Philadelphia schools.

The gathering offered another opportunity to consider how leadership preparation, selection, placement, supervision, and professional learning can become mutually reinforcing components of a coherent education system.

Research released in January 2026 highlights promising practices emerging from ECPI, including principal residency programs, district-university partnerships, leadership affinity groups, equity-focused principal supervision, and policy changes that strengthen sustainability.

These findings reinforced an essential leadership lesson: Sustainable improvement requires more than effective programs. It requires systems designed to support and reinforce the desired practices.

Moving from Implementation to Institutionalization

As ECPI enters the last year of Wallace Foundation funding, sustainability is increasingly important. District leaders must consider whether their efforts will endure beyond grant funding, leadership transitions, and shifting political environments.

This requires confronting difficult questions:

• Are equity-centered leadership expectations embedded in district policies, practices, and accountability systems?
• Do principal supervisors possess the knowledge and skills to coach and develop equity-centered leaders?
• Are central office structures aligned to support principals, school campuses, and improve student learning?
• How are districts measuring progress, learning from implementation, and sustaining improvements?

These questions demand honest reflection, courageous conversations, and collective responsibility.

Leadership Is the Work

For school system leaders, the lessons emerging from ECPI extend well beyond principal preparation. They remind us that leadership development is a systemic responsibility, not an isolated human resources function.

The 2026 October ECPI PLC represented an opportunity to strengthen relationships, deepen collective learning, and reaffirm a shared commitment to lasting organizational improvement.

Ultimately, the success of ECPI will not be measured simply by the number of leaders trained or initiatives implemented. It will be reflected in stronger leadership systems, improved educational experiences, and expanded opportunities for all students.

The challenge ahead is clear: Make equity-centered leadership not something districts do, but an essential part of who they are.

CNBC’s 2026 America’s Top States for Business ranking delivered an unmistakable message about Oklahoma’s future. Although the state remains attractive in areas such as affordability and the cost of doing business, Oklahoma ranked 39th overall, 42nd in workforce, and 48th in education. CNBC evaluated states across 138 measures within 10 categories that influence business investment and job creation.

These rankings should not be viewed merely as disappointing publicity. They represent a warning about Oklahoma’s ability to educate its children, prepare its workforce, attract employers, and compete in an economy increasingly driven by knowledge and skills.

The Oklahoma Literacy Initiative (OLI), where I serve on the advisory board, is championed by the Oklahoma State Chamber Research Foundation.  OLI is a privately funded initiative and partners across the state with pilot programs in 10 diverse school districts to build a statewide model for literacy excellence through training, coaching, a focus on the Science of Reading and measurable student outcomes. It represents more than an effort to improve reading scores. It reflects a growing understanding that literacy sits at the intersection of education, workforce development, economic competitiveness, and quality of life.

Literacy is not simply an elementary school issue. It is the beginning of Oklahoma’s talent-development pipeline. Students who struggle to read in the early grades are more likely to have trouble across subjects, become disengaged from school, and enter adulthood without the skills required for many careers. Employers eventually experience the consequences through workforce shortages, training challenges, reduced productivity, and difficulty finding qualified employees.

The Chamber’s advocacy draws lessons from states—including Mississippi and Louisiana—that have pursued comprehensive reading reforms. The emerging Oklahoma strategy emphasizes stronger early identification, evidence-based reading instruction, timely intervention, educator preparation,  and clear expectations for students who have not yet developed essential reading skills. However, policy adoption alone will not improve reading outcomes. The real test will be in the fidelity of implementation.

Educators need high-quality professional learning, effective instructional materials, coaching and time to collaborate. School leaders need usable data that helps them identify instructional needs rather than merely labeling schools or students. Families need clear information and practical ways to reinforce literacy at home. Students who are behind need intensive support delivered early, consistently and with urgency.

Accountability must also be shared. State policymakers, business leaders, families and communities also have essential roles. Developing strong readers cannot be the responsibility of schools alone. Libraries, early childhood providers, community organizations, universities, businesses, and families can help create environments where reading is encouraged, supported, and celebrated.

CNBC’s ranking provides a useful external benchmark, but moving upward in a national ranking cannot be the ultimate goal. Success must be measured by whether more Oklahoma children become confident readers, more students graduate prepared for college and careers, and more employers can find the talent they need within the state.

The State Chamber Research Foundation’s literacy initiative recognizes a critical reality: Oklahoma cannot build a top-tier economy on a struggling educational foundation.

Teaching children to read is not separate from economic development. It may be Oklahoma’s most important economic-development strategy.

As a new school year begins, school system leaders are naturally focused on strategic plans, student achievement goals, staffing, budgets, and operational readiness. While each of these priorities matter, one of the most influential factors in school improvement is often less visible: the beliefs educators hold about their ability to make a difference.

Two concepts deserve renewed attention this back-to-school season—self-efficacy and agency.

Self-efficacy is the confidence educators have in their ability to positively influence student learning and organizational outcomes. Agency is the willingness and capacity to act on that belief by making decisions, solving problems, and leading change. Together, they create the conditions for continuous improvement.

When teachers, principals, and district leaders believe their actions matter, they are more likely to embrace challenges, persist through setbacks, collaborate with colleagues, and innovate on behalf of students. Conversely, when people feel that decisions are made for them rather than with them, compliance often replaces commitment, and improvement efforts lose momentum.

School improvement is not simply about implementing another initiative. It is about creating an environment where every educator understands that they have both responsibility and the opportunity to influence student success.

For school system leaders, this requires intentional leadership. Leaders cultivate self-efficacy by celebrating evidence of progress, providing meaningful feedback, investing in professional learning, and ensuring educators have the resources needed to succeed. They strengthen agency by distributing leadership, inviting authentic input into decisions, removing unnecessary barriers, and trusting teams to solve problems closest to students.

The start of the school year offers a powerful opportunity to shape these conditions. Every leadership meeting, professional learning session, classroom visit, and conversation communicates whether educators are viewed as implementers of someone else’s vision or as partners in creating a better future.

High-performing systems recognize that sustainable improvement cannot depend on a few exceptional leaders. It requires building the collective efficacy of teams across every school and department. When educators believe that, together, they can improve outcomes for every learner, that shared belief becomes a powerful driver of organizational success.

As you welcome staff back this year, consider asking a simple but profound question: What conditions are we creating that help every educator believe they can make a meaningful difference—and empower them to act on that belief?

The answer may shape far more than the opening weeks of school. It may determine whether your improvement efforts become another annual initiative or evolve into a lasting culture where confidence, ownership, and shared leadership drive better outcomes for every student.

This school year, let your greatest investment be not only in new strategies, but in strengthening the efficacy and agency of the people who bring those strategies to life every day.

Willie Mae Smith was a wife, mother of seven, grandmother, and a devout Christian. A native of Fairfield County, SC, she had also been orphaned as a child and died in 1994, at the age of 63. I came to know her through one of my best friends (her son, Mike) and a basketball teammate during my junior year of high school in 1972-73.

However, it was my senior year of high school where I really got to experience the strength of Ms. Willie Mae’s convictions, grace, and mercy. At the time I was living with an elderly aunt and uncle who had recently relocated to South Carolina upon their retirement in Detroit returning to their roots from the Great Migration. Due to my uncle’s cancer diagnosis, my sister and I took turns leaving Detroit and going south to Spartanburg, SC for extended periods of time to help out. In total for me, it was my junior and senior year of high school.

After my uncle’s death and in the middle of my senior year, my aunt decided to relocate to Greenville, SC to be closer to her family. My high school career had gotten off to a tumultuous start in Detroit, but after summer school I was scheduled to graduate on time (and be the first in our family to do so), having attended nine K-12 schools in two states. Although my aunt offered me the opportunity to relocate with her, I knew if I changed schools again (this late in the school year), graduation might be risky.

Hence, my introduction to a living saint at a time of desperate need. Mike and I first went to his dad to seek permission for me to move into their small three-bedroom home with his parents and five of his siblings, so that I could graduate from high school. His dad felt we needed his mom’s consent. Although she was hospitalized at the time, we went off to Mary Black Hospital to seek her consent. I made my pitch and will never forget her answer without hesitation, “of course you can.”

I have lived my adult life trying to pay forward the blessings of Ms. Willie Mae Smith, and other caring adults, including lifelong mentors and coaches who helped me navigate life’s challenges and opportunities. We formally created the Willie Mae Smith (WMS) Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2008, as a non-profit entity organized under the laws of the State of South Carolina with 100% of the proceeds providing financial assistance to scholars. As of today, we have supported several high needs scholars. Scholarships have ranged in value from $500-$5,000 depending on financial need. With your help, we would like to support more scholars.

WMS scholars have attended a wide range of higher education institutions including Spelman College, Atlanta, GA; Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ; Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC; Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC; Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC; and Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY. Graduates are making public sector contributions in healthcare, education, and human services among others.

Success is rarely a solo journey. Please consider a contribution to the Willie Mae Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund. Donations may be sent to Mrs. Nezzie Jeter, President of the Willie Mae Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund at 203 Barnstead Ct.,
Piedmont, SC 29673.

Opening Remix – Dr. Angela Chapman (CCS Superintendent) and Dr. Rotunda Floyd-Cooper (Wallace Foundation Vice President of Education Leadership)

The Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology welcomed over 300 educational leaders from across Ohio and beyond for the 2026 Institute on Leading for Student Success, held June 8–9 on Ohio State’s campus. The annual institute, developed in partnership with Columbus City Schools (CCS) and supported through the Wallace Foundation’s Equity-Centered Principal Pipeline Initiative, focused on strengthening leadership practices that promote positive outcomes for all students.

Designed for principals, assistant principals, district administrators, and other educational leaders, the two-day event emphasized the critical role leadership plays in shaping school culture, supporting educators, and advancing student achievement. Participants engaged in professional learning experiences centered on evidence-based strategies, practical leadership tools, and collaborative problem-solving approaches that can be applied directly within schools and the district.

Throughout the institute, attendees explored the concept of student success as both a leadership process and an educational outcome. Sessions highlighted the importance of aligning leadership practices with a district’s vision for student growth while creating environments where every learner can thrive. Organizers structured the event around interactive learning opportunities that encouraged participants to analyze real-world scenarios, engage in strategic planning, and share experiences with peers facing similar challenges.

A central theme of the institute was the development of leadership pipelines that support fairness, continuous improvement, and organizational effectiveness. Participants examined current research, emerging national trends, and promising practices that help educational leaders foster strong school communities and improve student outcomes. The institute also provided opportunities for networking and collaboration, enabling attendees to exchange ideas and build professional relationships that extend beyond the event itself.

The College of Education and Human Ecology has long been recognized for its commitment to preparing educational leaders and advancing innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Through initiatives such as the Leading for Student Success Institute, the college continues to support school leaders as they navigate increasingly complex educational environments while maintaining a focus on student-centered success.

In addition to keynote presentations and workshops, the institute offered opportunities for reflection and discussion about creating growth-minded school cultures, promoting dignity in education, and developing learning environments where all students have opportunities to succeed. These conversations reinforced the importance of leadership that is both responsive to local needs and informed by research and best practices.

As participants concluded the 2026 institute, they left with new insights, practical strategies, and strengthened professional networks. The event reaffirmed a shared commitment among educational leaders to advancing student success through thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and continuous learning—ensuring that schools remain places where every student can achieve their fullest potential.

Across the country, school systems are working tirelessly to improve student outcomes, strengthen instructional practices, and ensure every learner has access to high-quality learning experiences. While districts often focus on curriculum, assessment, and professional learning, one powerful lever frequently determines whether these efforts succeed: learning clarity.

Learning clarity exists when students and educators have a shared understanding of what students are expected to learn, why that learning matters, and what success looks like. It transforms classrooms from places where students simply complete tasks into environments where they actively engage in meaningful learning.

Research consistently demonstrates that students achieve at higher levels when learning intentions and success criteria are clearly articulated. When learners understand the purpose of a lesson and can identify what proficiency looks like, they become more motivated, self-directed, and capable of monitoring their own progress. Learning shifts from something done to students to something students actively own.

For school system leaders, learning clarity should be viewed as a systemwide priority rather than an individual teacher’s practice. Creating clarity requires alignment across multiple levels of the organization. District leaders must ensure that curriculum standards, instructional resources, assessments, and professional learning all reinforce a common understanding of grade-level expectations. School leaders must support teachers in translating standards into clear learning goals and success criteria that are visible and understandable to students.

Learning clarity also strengthens equity. Too often, expectations remain implicit, leaving some students to decipher what success requires while others receive more direct guidance. Clear learning goals and transparent success criteria reduce ambiguity and provide all students with equitable access to rigorous learning. When expectations are visible and consistently communicated, every learner has a better opportunity to succeed.

One of the most effective ways leaders can assess learning clarity is by listening to students. During classroom visits, leaders might ask three simple questions: What are you learning? Why are you learning it? How will you know if you are successful? The quality and consistency of student responses often reveal whether learning goals are truly understood or merely posted on a wall.

As districts continue to navigate academic recovery, evolving standards, and increasing accountability demands, learning clarity offers a practical and high-impact strategy for improvement. It creates coherence across classrooms, empowers students as active learners, and provides educators with a common language for teaching and learning.

The most effective school systems are not simply focused on what teachers are teaching. They are relentlessly focused on what students are learning. Learning clarity bridges that gap. When everyone in the system understands the destination and the criteria for success, student achievement becomes not only more attainable, but more sustainable.

After 32 years of dedicated service as a National Board Certified Teacher in Oklahoma City Public Schools, Lisa Ummel-Ingram’s retirement represents far more than the conclusion of a career. It is the celebration of a life devoted to students, families, colleagues, and community. For more than three decades, Lisa has demonstrated the extraordinary impact a committed teacher can have on generations of young people and the culture of an entire school system.

Teaching is one of the few professions where success is measured not simply by outcomes, but by lives changed. Over the course of 32-years at Wheeler Middle School, Lisa undoubtedly influenced hundreds of students through her encouragement, patience, high expectations, and care. Great teachers leave lasting fingerprints on the hearts and minds of students long after they leave the classroom. They shape confidence, ignite curiosity, and create safe spaces where children believe in their own potential. Lisa’s legacy lives in every student she inspired and every colleague she supported along the way.

Retirement celebrations provide organizations with an important opportunity to recognize contributions that cannot fully be captured through resumes, evaluations, or awards. In education, much of the work happens quietly and consistently over time. Teachers arrive early, stay late, mentor students, support families, encourage coworkers, and often carry the emotional weight of the communities they serve. Recognition ceremonies pause the demands of daily work long enough to honor the humanity behind the profession.

These ceremonies matter because organizational culture is built through what leaders and institutions choose to celebrate. When school systems publicly recognize educators like Lisa, they communicate that service, commitment, and relationships matter. Recognition sends a powerful message to employees that their work is valued and appreciated. It reminds current staff that their contributions are seen, even during difficult seasons in public education.

Recognition ceremonies also preserve institutional memory. Veteran educators carry decades of wisdom, experience, and perspective that shape the identity of a school district. They remember the challenges overcome, the milestones achieved, and the countless stories that define an organization’s journey. Celebrating retirement allows organizations to honor those contributions while inspiring younger educators to continue the tradition of excellence and service.

Equally important, retirement celebrations strengthen community. They bring together colleagues, former students, friends, and family members in shared gratitude. These moments create connection, joy, and reflection in ways that strengthen morale and reinforce the relationships that sustain organizations over time.

As Lisa begins this new chapter, there is much to celebrate. Thirty-two years of service in public education represents extraordinary dedication, resilience, and heart. Her career stands as a reminder that educators are among the most important builders of communities and futures.

As my wife and life partner, I’m so proud of her. Lisa’s retirement celebration is not simply the closing of a professional chapter. It is the honoring of a legacy that will continue through the countless lives she touched throughout her remarkable career in Oklahoma City Public Schools.

Photo courtesy of the Columbus City School District, Columbus, OH.

Across public school districts, a “Portrait of a Learner” has emerged as a powerful way to articulate what we want students to know and be able to do beyond traditional academic metrics. At its best, a Portrait moves a system from compliance to coherence—aligning vision, instruction, and culture around a shared definition of student success. Yet too often, districts stop at the vision statement. The real work—and the real impact—comes when that vision is translated into daily practice across every classroom.

Education system leaders face the real challenge of operationalizing the Portrait, not creating it.

A strong Portrait of a Learner typically reflects durable competencies: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, agency, and adaptability. These competencies resonate with families, educators, and communities. But resonance alone does not drive change. Leaders must ask: What does this look like in a 3rd-grade classroom? In a high school science lab? In a principal’s feedback conversation with a teacher?
Moving from vision to practice requires three deliberate shifts.

First, anchor the Portrait in instructional clarity. Teachers need more than aspirational language; they need concrete examples. What does “student agency” look like during a lesson? How do we observe “collaboration” in a way that is measurable and actionable? High-performing systems translate Portrait competencies into look-fors, performance tasks, and aligned rubrics. This creates a shared instructional language that reduces variability across schools.

Second, align adult systems to the student vision. A Portrait of a Learner cannot live separately from a district’s professional learning, coaching, and evaluation systems. Leaders must ensure that principal walkthroughs, teacher feedback, and professional development all reinforce the same competencies outlined in the Portrait. When adult practices mirror student expectations, coherence accelerates. When they don’t, the Portrait becomes a poster on the wall rather than a driver of change.

Third, build capacity through cycles of practice and reflection. Implementation is not an event; it is a continuous improvement process. Districts should establish routines—such as learning walks, collaborative planning, and data discussions—that focus explicitly on Portrait competencies. Over time, these routines help educators internalize the vision and refine their practice. Importantly, leaders must model this learning stance themselves, using evidence to guide decisions and adjustments.

Equally critical is engaging students and families. A Portrait of a Learner should not be something done to students, but something developed with them. When students can articulate the competencies and see them reflected in their learning experiences, the Portrait becomes authentic and empowering.

Ultimately, a Portrait of a Learner is a promise. It is a commitment to preparing students not just for tests, but for life. For system leaders, the measure of success is not the elegance of the framework, but the consistency of its implementation. When every classroom reflects the vision—when students are thinking deeply, collaborating meaningfully, and owning their learning, the Portrait has moved from aspiration to reality.
That is the work of leadership: turning vision into practice, and practice into impact.