Best Education Administration Books of 2025

The book "Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation" challenges the traditional approach of using standardized test scores as the sole measure of equity and learning in education. Instead, the authors propose a student-centered approach that values cultural wealth and intellectual potential. The concept of street data is introduced as a humanizing, liberatory, and healing tool that complements other forms of data to guide a school or district's equity journey. This book offers innovative ideas and tools for educators and policymakers to transform the education system from the ground up. Overall, "Street Data" is a must-read for anyone seeking genuine equity in education.

The Ninth Edition of Leadership: Theory and Practice by Peter G. Northouse is the go-to guide for leadership theories and models. The book provides practical examples and questionnaires to help readers understand their own leadership style. The updated edition includes a new chapter on inclusive leadership, real-world cases featuring global leaders, and a discussion on leadership and morality. The book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to develop their leadership skills, with Northouse's expertise making it a must-read for students and professionals alike.

This book, titled "Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms," by Joe Feldman, is a must-read for educators who want to tackle the challenging conversation around inconsistent grading practices. The book provides a critical historical backdrop and a summary of research on motivation and equitable teaching and learning, along with specific grading practices that are more equitable. The author argues that grading practices that are accurate, bias-resistant, and motivational can improve learning, minimize grade inflation, reduce failure rates, and become a lever for creating stronger teacher-student relationships and more caring classrooms. Overall, this book is an essential resource for anyone looking to implement improved, equity-focused grading for impact.

The updated edition of Driven by Data 2.0 is a practical guide for K-12 educators looking to implement data-driven instruction to achieve remarkable results. The book provides a proven framework that helps schools focus on student learning, identify why students struggle, and teach more effectively what students need. It also offers tools to train and develop staff so that data-driven instruction can thrive. The book contains success stories from schools worldwide that have implemented data-driven instruction to increase academic proficiency and help students succeed. Overall, Driven by Data 2.0 is an essential resource for educators looking to improve instruction and achieve significant gains in student achievement.

School Nursing: A Comprehensive Text is a valuable resource for school nurses and pediatric experts. Produced in collaboration with the National Association of School Nurses, this text provides comprehensive coverage of the multiple facets of school nursing. The book includes real-world-tested best practices based on evidence and experience, covering topics such as health assessments, individualized health plan development, mental health conditions, legal issues, and current policy statements essential to school nursing. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone new to the school nursing field or for those who want to improve their knowledge and skills in this area.

Get Better Faster: A 90-Day Plan for Coaching New Teachers by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo is a practical guide to coaching new educators. The book breaks down the most critical actions leaders and teachers must take to achieve exemplary results. It focuses on practical and actionable steps that make the book's approach to coaching so effective. The book features valuable online training tools that provide agendas, presentation slides, a coach's guide, handouts, planning templates, and 35 video clips of real teachers at work to help other educators apply the lessons learned in their own classrooms. Overall, this book is an integral coaching tool for any school leader eager to help their teachers succeed.

Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators is a practical guide that offers a four-part framework to help teachers avoid burnout and cultivate resilience. The book addresses the problem of educator stress and provides concrete steps towards rediscovering oneself, understanding emotions, and using energy where it counts. The book's companion workbook helps readers put the framework into action. This book is a must-read for educators who want to keep teaching and avoid burnout. The book is unique in its approach to resiliency, and it provides a clear path towards renewal and strength.

Coaching for Equity: Conversations That Change Practice by Elena Aguilar is a comprehensive guide for educators who want to make their classrooms more equitable. The book offers strategies and tools for talking about race, power, and systems of oppression, as well as personal narratives that demonstrate what coaching for equity looks like. Aguilar inspires readers to commit to transforming their classrooms and provides the resources necessary to implement transformational coaching in any organization. This book is a must-read for teachers, teacher leaders, coaches, and administrators who want to create a more just and equitable world.

Don't Suspend Me!: An Alternative Discipline Toolkit, second edition, is a user-friendly guidebook that helps educators use alternative discipline methods to create positive and long-term behavior shifts for students. The book provides an updated alternative discipline toolkit, methods for addressing traditional beliefs, and recommendations for bringing policy to practice. It also includes case studies, examples, and lessons learned from educators in the field who successfully used the first edition. This practical and effective guide is aligned with research, changes in educational law, and equity in school discipline.

This book, "What Great Teachers Do Differently" by Todd Whitaker, provides 19 keys to becoming more effective in the classroom. The third edition includes new sections on creating a consistent and engaging learning environment and choosing the right mode to improve classroom management. It's a practical book that is perfect for educators at any level of experience. The author weaves his professional knowledge and personal experiences together to create a reflective thinking opportunity for teachers. It's a reminder that every teacher makes an impact and great teachers make a difference. Overall, it's an inspiring book that challenges thinking and reaffirms teaching philosophy and methodology.