Guidance for Responding to a Subpoena
A subpoena arrives at your school, demanding student records or summoning an employee to testify at a hearing. What are school officials and subpoenaed staff required to do? What should they do? Before acting, school principals should consider the following guidance. Contact Legal Counsel First, before talking with the person who sent the subpoena, principals should notify the school’s central office of the subpoena, and then the school’s administration should contact the…
Registration Open! MDE LGBTQ+ Students Project, Winter/Spring 2026 Offerings
LGBTQ+ students are still at disproportionate risk for persistent bullying, harassment, and victimization. In response to requests from school districts across Michigan, the MDE LGBTQ+ Students Project staff created a suite of online professional development workshops to build the capacity of schools to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive culture and climate where all students can thrive. We are honored to partner with school districts and parents to make these highly requested…
Leading When the Ground Is Moving: What AI Is Teaching Us About Behavioral Edge
Artificial intelligence has become one of the clearest examples of what large-scale change looks like in schools today. It is fast moving, poorly understood, value-laden, and already present whether we are ready or not. But the most important leadership lesson AI offers us may have very little to do with technology. It has everything to do with leadership behavior. When leaders step into conversations about AI, they often expect to wrestle with…
Catalyst 2025 and the AI Moment: What We Learned and Where We’re Headed
At Catalyst25, we set out to do more than talk about artificial intelligence. We wanted to listen. We wanted to create space for students, teachers, coaches, and school leaders to wrestle honestly with what AI is already doing in schools, and what it could make possible next. Through hundreds of conversations, reflections, and interactions with the Catalyst25 Compass AI bot used by Catalyst2525 attendees, a clear picture began to emerge. Not a…
Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and Michigan College Access Network collaborate to cultivate transformative leaders
The Michigan Leadership Fellows program, a groundbreaking collaboration between Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and Michigan College Access Network, is set to empower its third diverse, state-wide cohort of six rising educational leaders. This 18-month, project-based fellowship was designed to build a robust pipeline of equity-minded, transformative leaders who will champion postsecondary educational access and success for all Michigan students. Program Goals Equity-Driven Leadership: The fellowship focuses on an instructional leadership…
NASSP Membership Expansion: A More Unified National Home for School Leaders
Recently, NASSP members voted to approve a significant proposal that will shape the future of our national association and strengthen the voice of school leaders across the country. The membership approved the expansion of NASSP eligibility to all PK–12 principals and assistant principals and the move of NASSP’s corporate entity from Washington, D.C., to Delaware through a Plan of Domestication. This decision represents an important step toward creating a more unified national…
Call for Comments: Path to Leadership Seeking CAEP Accreditation
The Path to Leadership Alternative PK-12 Administrator Certification Program is hosting an accreditation visit by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) May 18, 2026 through May 20, 2026. This notice serves as a required public announcement of the upcoming accreditation review and site visit, which must occur not less than sixteen (16) weeks prior to the scheduled date of the site visit. As part of the CAEP accreditation review…
STUDENT COMPETITIONS: THE SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION
The most effective student leadership competitions don’t just recognize students—they change schools. MASC/MAHS Michigan Student Leadership competitions are designed to be more than events or awards. When schools use them intentionally, they become powerful tools for student growth, culture-building, and meaningful school improvement. Our three core competitions, Michigan Student Voice, Student Showcase Presentations and Student Photovoice, move students from participation to impact, building critical leadership skills while giving schools clear, actionable insight…
Leadership in Motion | Deposits, Withdrawals and Dividends
Navigating Change, Shaping Culture and Driving Impact Opening Reflection January has a way of pulling school leaders into reflection whether we plan for it or not. The first semester is behind us. The pace of fall has slowed just enough to take a breath, but not enough to forget how heavy it felt at times. At this point in the year, the most important leadership question is not what initiatives are next…
December 2025 LegalEase | Equal Access Act Compliance – Take Care When Dealing with Student-Run Groups
The Equal Access Act guarantees and protects the rights of public-school students. “Under the EAA, if a public school which receives federal financial assistance has created a limited open forum, it is unlawful for that school to deny equal access to, or a fair opportunity to, or to discriminate against, any students who wish to conduct a meeting within such limited open forum on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical, or other…