Educational Leadership, ASCD's flagship journal, is intended for everyone interested in preK–12 education issues, including curriculum, instruction, supervision, and leadership. Each issue contains articles written by educators for educators. We particularly look for articles that inspire improved teaching and learning.
Educational Leadership is known for its theme issues. The more appropriate an article is for a theme issue, the more likely it is that we will be able to publish it. We also accept articles on non-theme-related topics if the subject is compelling and timely.
The EL editorial staff makes all decisions regarding publication. ASCD reserves the right to reject material, whether solicited or otherwise, if it lacks quality or timeliness. ASCD offers no remuneration for articles.
What We Look For
The best way to determine what kinds of articles we publish is to read the magazine.
Most published articles are between 1,500 and 2,500 words, are written in a conversational style, and cover topics that are useful for preK–12 educators. These are some of the qualities we look for:
- Articles describing research-based solutions to current problems in education
- Reasoned debate on controversial subjects
- Opinion pieces that interweave experiences and ideas
- Program descriptions (school, district, or state)
- Practical examples that illustrate key points
- An emphasis on explaining and interpreting research results rather than on methodology
- International contributions
We are not looking for term papers or reviews of literature, and we rarely publish conventional research reports. We cannot review drafts and usually do not find query letters helpful; we prefer to read the manuscript. We do not publish articles that have been previously published, in print or electronic form. While your article is under review with us, we ask that you not submit it to another publication or post it on a website or blog—not even your own.
Please submit your manuscript under the appropriate upcoming theme category. If you wish to submit an article to be considered for the ASCD Blog, please submit it under the "Submit an ASCD Blog" category.
We encourage creativity and innovative approaches to writing—but also good sourcing! Work submitted to Educational Leadership must be original to the author(s) and not previously published in any format. Any use of material from generative artificial intelligence tools must be disclosed; text that is based on AI-based research or excerpted from AI responses must be clearly and appropriately cited using APA style: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt
Please do not submit the same manuscript under multiple categories--duplications will be withdrawn from consideration.
For more information about the submission and editing process, please visit our web site.
Teaching Up for Student Success
“A prerequisite for success is the opportunity to try,” says Carol Ann Tomlinson. “When mentored and properly supported by teachers who believe in their potential, [all] students can do exemplary work.” That’s the premise of “teaching up”—an instructional approach for providing students with equitable access to challenging learning opportunities, along with the scaffolding they need to be successful. Inspired by Tomlinson’s concept of “teaching up,” this issue will look at ways to change mindsets and practices in schools that hold some students back, and ways to ensure students with learning differences are included and supported in doing challenging work. Articles will explore how to root out stereotypes about learners’ capabilities; organize and tailor instruction to meet students’ diverse strengths, interests, and needs; avoid the pitfalls of over-remediation; and ensure that no student loses out on engaged learning.
Submissions Deadline: May 1, 2024
How to Prepare Your Manuscript
- Double-space all copy and number all pages.
- Indicate the number of words in the manuscript, including references and figures.
- Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the manuscript. Also include names and email addresses of any coauthors.
- Include a two- or three-sentence bio for each author at the end of the manuscript.
We use the reference style outlined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Cite references in the text like this (Jones, 2023) and list them in a bibliography at the end of the article. Please do not use footnotes or endnotes for the references.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of citations, quotations, figures, and facts.
Growing a Generation of Digital Problem Solvers
Successfully using and learning through technology are essential skills for today’s students. But how can we ensure our students use technology creatively, constructively, and safely? This issue will look at ways educators can develop and support students’ digital problem-solving and citizenship skills to create a generation of learners who are career-ready, proficient in the use of technology for learning, savvy in content consumption and creation, and responsible in online communications and interactions. Topics include online safety and privacy, independent learning skills, critical thinking, plagiarism and AI, balanced use, and digital equity.
Submissions Deadline: June 3, 2024
How to Prepare Your Manuscript
- Double-space all copy and number all pages.
- Indicate the number of words in the manuscript, including references and figures.
- Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the manuscript. Also include names and email addresses of any coauthors.
- Include a two- or three-sentence bio for each author at the end of the manuscript.
We use the reference style outlined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Cite references in the text like this (Jones, 2023) and list them in a bibliography at the end of the article. Please do not use footnotes or endnotes for the references.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of citations, quotations, figures, and facts.
Centering Student Joy
As schools struggle to reinvent themselves post-pandemic, bringing greater joy into learning has become a topic of growing interest. This issue will examine how joy humanizes learning and the many ways educators can cultivate it, including by prioritizing students’ well-being and sense of belonging, creating learning experiences that spark curiosity and passion, elevating student voice and agency, and supporting student work that evokes meaning and accomplishment.
Submissions Deadline: July 1, 2024
How to Prepare Your Manuscript
- Double-space all copy and number all pages.
- Indicate the number of words in the manuscript, including references and figures.
- Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the manuscript. Also include names and email addresses of any coauthors.
- Include a two- or three-sentence bio for each author at the end of the manuscript.
We use the reference style outlined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Cite references in the text like this (Jones, 2023) and list them in a bibliography at the end of the article. Please do not use footnotes or endnotes for the references.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of citations, quotations, figures, and facts.
AI in Schools: What Works and What’s Next
Artificial Intelligence is having a growing impact on education, especially with the emergence of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT. While the technology poses risks and uncertainties, it is already proving to be a powerful learning and productivity tool in the hands of savvy educators. This innovation-focused issue will showcase examples of the ways (large and small) that schools and educators are using AI to enhance instruction and transform the nature of their work—and student learning—for the better.
Submissions Deadline: September 2, 2024
How to Prepare Your Manuscript
- Double-space all copy and number all pages.
- Indicate the number of words in the manuscript, including references and figures.
- Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the manuscript. Also include names and email addresses of any coauthors.
- Include a two- or three-sentence bio for each author at the end of the manuscript.
We use the reference style outlined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Cite references in the text like this (Jones, 2023) and list them in a bibliography at the end of the article. Please do not use footnotes or endnotes for the references.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of citations, quotations, figures, and facts.
Strengthening Instructional Cultures
A school or district’s instructional culture defines and undergirds its core work of teaching and learning. It encompasses a learning organization’s approaches to curriculum development, lesson planning, professional learning and support, educator morale, technology integration, and instructional practice. Most of all, it conveys a vision for transformational learning and supports system-wide integration of that vision. This issue will highlight steps education leaders can take to create instructional cultures that are more dynamic, coherent, and teacher- and student-centered, especially in light of the recent stresses on school systems and educators.
Submissions Deadline: October 1, 2024
How to Prepare Your Manuscript
- Double-space all copy and number all pages.
- Indicate the number of words in the manuscript, including references and figures.
- Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the manuscript. Also include names and email addresses of any coauthors.
- Include a two- or three-sentence bio for each author at the end of the manuscript.
We use the reference style outlined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Cite references in the text like this (Jones, 2023) and list them in a bibliography at the end of the article. Please do not use footnotes or endnotes for the references.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of citations, quotations, figures, and facts.
What’s Going Right in Education
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai says, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” There have been many challenges in education recently, and it can be easy to focus solely on what’s going wrong. And yet, education is one of most powerful forces in the world. This issue will showcase examples of the impact of good teaching and leadership on schools and students—and the world. Articles will focus on significant progress and proven best practices in education—including through instructional practices, leadership strategies, programmatic and systemic changes, research developments, and student work. Whole child initiatives and those that have positively affected disadvantaged students will be prioritized.
Submissions Deadline: November 1, 2024
How to Prepare Your Manuscript
- Double-space all copy and number all pages.
- Indicate the number of words in the manuscript, including references and figures.
- Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the manuscript. Also include names and email addresses of any coauthors.
- Include a two- or three-sentence bio for each author at the end of the manuscript.
We use the reference style outlined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Cite references in the text like this (Jones, 2023) and list them in a bibliography at the end of the article. Please do not use footnotes or endnotes for the references.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of citations, quotations, figures, and facts.
The Biases We Carry
As recent research has shown, educators’ unconscious biases can have a significant effect on students’ learning opportunities. These can include not only racial and socioeconomic biases but also biases toward certain ways of thinking, teaching, and leading. This issue will take a nuanced look at how entrenched biases can affect learning systems and how educators can identify and address them. The goal will be to help educators and leaders cultivate learning environments and strategies that are more inclusive, growth-oriented, and innovative.
Submissions Deadline: December 2, 2024
How to Prepare Your Manuscript
- Double-space all copy and number all pages.
- Indicate the number of words in the manuscript, including references and figures.
- Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the manuscript. Also include names and email addresses of any coauthors.
- Include a two- or three-sentence bio for each author at the end of the manuscript.
We use the reference style outlined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Cite references in the text like this (Jones, 2023) and list them in a bibliography at the end of the article. Please do not use footnotes or endnotes for the references.
Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of citations, quotations, figures, and facts.
ASCD is committed to highlighting diverse voices in education and fostering a dynamic community of passionate thinkers who share ideas around problems of practice and leadership. To further these aims, we welcome submissions for blog posts on best practices, innovative and creative approaches, and ideas in K–12 education.
Short blog posts (600-1,200 words) should be written in an approachable, conversational, inviting, nonacademic style. They should be directed toward an audience of practicing educators—including school and district leaders, instructional coaches and learning coordinators, and teachers—and focus on one or more of ASCD's core topic areas: curriculum and instruction; equity and cultural competency; leadership and management; social-emotional learning; technology; and whole child education.
What We Look For
In general, we look for pieces that are timely and topical, addressing current issues and problems of practice in the field in a concise, conversational, and lively manner. Blog posts should also be solution-oriented and grounded in authentic educational practice and evidence. Here are some examples of the types of online content we publish:
- Best practice pieces on instructional or leadership strategies that offer immediate takeaways for readers.
- Blog posts focused on specific problems of practice in a school community (whether at the classroom or leadership level) and proposed or attempted solutions.
- Pieces highlighting or responding to recent developments, controversies, or research findings in the field.
- Blog posts responding to current events and their implications for schools and educators.
- Personal stories on professional challenges or successes.
- Blog posts for school leaders (including teacher leaders) highlighting ideas and approaches to systemwide change and impact.
- Blog posts focused on ideas and improvements in educator professional development.
- Some of our most widely read topics include instructional strategies, engagement, leadership, professional learning, equity, curriculum, technology, school culture, assessment, classroom management, policy, and social-emotional learning.
What We Don't Want
Types of content we are not likely to publish on the ASCD Blog include research reviews or reports; press releases or product promotions; organizational position/policy statements (including those masked as articles); and attack pieces or political rants. Our style is friendly, conversational, and relaxed. While evidence-based and substantive, the articles we publish are not academic in style and do not use excessive jargon or insider terms.
We encourage creativity and innovative approaches to writing—but also good sourcing! Work submitted to the ASCD Blog must be original to the author(s) and not previously published in any format. Any use of material from generative artificial intelligence tools must be disclosed; text that is based on AI-based research or excerpted from AI responses must be clearly and appropriately cited using APA style: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt
We cannot accept pitches for guest posts--please submit the complete manuscript.
ASCD reserves the right to reject material, whether solicited or otherwise, on the basis of its evaluative criteria and current content needs. ASCD offers no remuneration for online articles.
Please do not include attachments of photos or artwork with your submission. Images will be discussed during the editing process as needed.
Please allow one month for a response before querying about the status of your submission.
We look forward to reading your work!