Leaders can share what’s working in Leadership magazine
ACSA publication releases themes for the 2026–27 year
April 20, 2026
Leadership magazine shares real-world strategies that improve outcomes for California students.
ACSA’s publication — written by educators for educators — is published five times annually and focuses on pressing challenges in the field of education.
Next year, the magazine will explore early childhood education, school safety, career technical education, staffing, and classified leadership.
“California school leaders are working hard to transform their schools — and they are excited to share what they have learned,” said Michelle Carl, editor of Leadership magazine. “This year, we received 151 submissions to the magazine, which reflects the great number of innovative, evidence-based strategies that are already improving student outcomes across our state.”
Although Leadership regularly receives more submissions than can fit in the publication, many of the extra high-quality submissions are chosen for publication in EdCal and ACSA’s Resource Hub.
To accommodate even more articles next year, maximum word counts will be reduced to 2,000 words, down from 2,500. References and in-text citations will still be required; however, readers will be directed to the online edition of the magazine to review the full list of works cited, saving print space in each issue.
To improve the chances an article is selected for publication, Carl offers the following advice:
Pick a narrow focus. “Stories that try to incorporate every aspect of a theme tend to be too broad to provide actionable insights,” Carl said. “Focus on one area you are addressing or one initiative in your school or district that is connected to the theme.” For instance, instead of describing all student attendance efforts, consider narrowing in on how your schools are improving kindergarten attendance. Subtopics are provided for each issue as a starting point, but authors are welcome to choose another subtopic that aligns with the theme.
Explore the “how.” Stories that focus on the process educators undergo to improve their practice tend to be more relatable and useful, Carl said. Instead of focusing only on the “what” (the programs you have), make sure to also explore the “how”: What research did you do to design that program? How did you implement it? What challenges did you face? What did you learn? “The insights from these questions are what readers find most meaningful,” she said.
Make it practical. Authors are encouraged to explore critical issues shaping K-12 education and include relevant research and statistics educators need to know about the issue. However, articles should also have practical solutions and strategies for how school leaders can address those issues in their schools or districts.
In keeping with ACSA’s mission and vision statements, authors are also encouraged to share how their school improvement efforts are shaping a more equitable education environment for all students. Find the full submission checklist and guidelines in the “Issue Themes” link at acsa.org/leadershipmagazine.
ACSA members and thought leaders in education are encouraged to begin submitting written work on these themes now. Deadlines for each issue are also listed below. Article submissions can be sent via email to Carl at mcarl@acsa.org.
September/October 2026: Early Learning Foundations
By completing the expansion of Universal Transitional Kindergarten, California has recognized the importance of early education in boosting school readiness. What best practices are education leaders using in public preschools and TK to give their youngest students a head start on learning?
- Developmentally appropriate, play-based curriculum and classrooms.
- Increasing enrollment and meeting families’ care needs.
- Behavior management and social-emotional learning.
- Supporting our youngest high-needs students (special education, MLL, etc.)
- Leading and supporting early childhood educators.
- And more ...
November/December 2026: School Safety
Learning can’t take place if our students’ basic need for safety isn’t met. How are schools promoting physical and emotional safety on campuses, so that every student can feel secure in their learning environment?
- Mandated reporting, Title IX, employee training.
- School “hardening,” cybersecurity and tech solutions.
- Cell phone policies.
- Protecting vulnerable student groups (LGBTQ+, immigrant families, etc.).
- Emergency planning and response.
- Preventing and responding to violence (behavioral threat assessments).
- And more ...
January/February 2027: Career Technical Education
School leaders are creating innovative TK-12 pathways that give students access to well-paying, meaningful careers — with or without a degree. What strategies are CTE programs using to prepare a diverse range of learners for careers now and in the future?
- Unique programs that align to local workforce needs.
- Recruiting and retaining industry professionals as CTE teachers.
- Funding sources.
- Industry and college partnerships.
- Future-ready workforce skills.
- And more ...
March/April 2027: Staffing Solutions
Finding high-quality staff and educators to serve our schools can make a difference for students. From filling emergency vacancies to long-term strategies to stock the educator pipeline, how are schools and districts solving their toughest staffing challenges?
- Creative recruitment campaigns.
- Increasing teacher/staff diversity.
- Staffing challenges (substitutes, SPED, classified, PPS, etc.).
- Teacher prep grants and university partnerships.
- Realities of downsizing, layoffs.
- Proven retention strategies and leadership pipelines.
- And more ...
May/June 2027: Classified Leadership
Classified staff are the people students and families often see first — at the front desk, on the bus, in the cafeteria, and in the hallways. How are classified leaders transforming their operations to better serve students?
- Innovative practices for supporting students in transportation, facilities/maintenance, nutrition, information technology, administrative staff, business and more.
- Recruiting and retaining classified staff.
- Building clear career pathways and leadership development for classified employees (training, mentoring, grow-your-own programs).
- And more ...