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Principal Center Radio brings you the best in professional practice for school leaders, in an audio format that you can access in the car, on the treadmill, or anywhere you'd like to listen.
Episodes

Aug 14, 2026
Aug 14, 2026
41 min

Get the book Reforming Lessons: Why English Schools Have Improved Since 2010 and How This Was Achieved
About The Guest
Sir Nick Gibb served as Member of Parliament for 27 years, serving first as shadow schools minister and then as schools minister under four different prime ministers from 2010 to 2023, where he oversaw substantial reforms to the English education system, working with Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove. He received a knighthood in the 2025 New Years Honours List.
Episode Sponsor
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Jul 13, 2026
Jul 13, 2026
26 min

Get the book, Cultivate and Activate: Building Teacher Capacity for Instructional Leadership
Guest Host: Barbara Blackburn
Barbara Blackburn, PhD is the author of more than 40 books and a full-time consultant who works with schools around the world to help raise the level of rigor and motivation for professional educators and students alike. Dr. Blackburn has been repeatedly named to the Top 30 Education Gurus and Top 10 Professional Development Programs by Global Gurus.
See all of Dr. Blackburn's guest appearances on Principal Center Radio
About The Guests: Keith Fickel & Justin Baeder
Keith Fickel is a retired middle school and high school principal in the southwest Houston, Texas, area. His focus during his decade as principal was to ensure that high levels of student learning, achievement, and personal development occurred in every classroom, every day. He accomplished these aims through the intentional empowerment of teachers and staff to effectively lead not only their classrooms but the school as a whole. Keith prioritized building and maintaining a strong bond with the school community through trust during his principalship.
He began his career in education in 1991, serving first as a classroom teacher and a band director for seventeen years, then as an assistant principal, associate principal, and campus principal during the second half of his career. His entire educational career was at the secondary level in both private and public school settings.
Keith has facilitated or cofacilitated professional learning sessions at the district, regional, and state levels on a variety of topics. He is a member of the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals and ASCD. In 2008, he was a campus Teacher of the Year, as well as a finalist for the Fort Bend ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year.
In 2022, he was named the Fort Bend ISD Secondary Principal of the Year, and he had the honor of serving as the founding principal of the district’s newest high school in 2023, prior to his retirement.
Keith earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in music education from Texas Tech University, and he completed his principal certification through the University of Houston. He resides in Sugar Land, Texas, with his wife, Anne, who was also a music teacher. Together, they have an adult daughter who is also in education.
Justin Baeder, PhD, is director of the Principal Center, where he helps school and district administrators build capacity for instructional leadership. Driven by the belief that leaders belong in classrooms, he created the Instructional Leadership Association to help school leaders confidently get into classrooms every day, have feedback conversations that change teachers’ practice, and discover their best opportunities for school improvement. The Instructional Leadership Association now has thousands of members in more than forty countries.
Prior to starting the Principal Center, Justin served as a teacher, head teacher, and principal in Seattle Public Schools, finishing his ten-year career in Seattle as principal of Olympic View Elementary.
He has contributed to School Administrator, Principal, Principal News, Principal Navigator, and Education Week. Justin presents regularly at state and national conferences, including ASCD, Learning Forward, and the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and has spoken at numerous in-person professional learning events in the United States, Canada, and El Salvador, as well as at countless virtual events.
Justin holds a PhD in educational leadership and policy from the University of Washington, where he is a graduate of the Danforth Educational Leadership Program. He holds a master of education degree in curriculum and instruction from Seattle University and a bachelor’s degree in science education from Harding University. He resides in Heber Springs, Arkansas, with his wife, Amy, and two daughters, Vivienne and Genevieve.
To learn more about Justin’s work, or to contact Justin, visit PrincipalCenter.com or follow @eduleadership on X.
Episode Sponsor
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Jul 5, 2026
Jul 5, 2026
31 min

Get the book Unchartered: How One High School Transformed First-Generation College Success
Read Erika's Substack, Ask An Educator
About The Guest
Erika Kitzmiller, PhD is a research associate professor at the Crown School of Social Policy, Practice, and Work and the Kersten Institute for Urban Education at the University of Chicago, where she studies historical and contemporary policies and practices that contribute to inequality and identifies solutions to end it.
She has published research articles in Harvard Educational Review, Teachers College Record, and Educational Researcher and opinion pieces in The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Hechinger Report, as well as many other venues. She has received funding from Harvard University, the National Science Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, among many others. She has a Substack newsletter, Ask an Educator.
She is the award-winning author of two books, The Roots of Educational Inequality: Philadelphia’s Germantown High School, 1907 – 2014, and Unchartered: How One Public High School Transformed First-Generation College Success.
Episode Sponsor
This episode of Principal Center Radio is brought to you by Ascend, our new membership for educators who want to lead at the next level. Loaded with our brand-new job search and instructional framework tools, Ascend is accessible to everyone at just $19 a month. Check it out at PrincipalCenter.com/Ascend

Jun 28, 2026
Jun 28, 2026
33 min

About The Guest
David M. Corvi is a Leadership Coach at Lynch Leadership Academy at Boston College, author, and school leadership practitioner. With over two decades of experience across urban public schools, charter networks, and nonprofit educational organizations, Corvi has dedicated his career to improving instruction for every student by developing the leaders who make it possible. He is available for keynote speaking, workshops, and full day professional development engagements.
Episode Sponsor
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Jun 18, 2026
Jun 18, 2026
30 min

Get the book, Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students
About The Guests
Erika Bare is superintendent of South Umpqua School District in Oregon, and has more than 20 years in the profession as a teacher, principal and district leader.
Tiffany Burns has served as a principal, instructional coach, and teacher in her more than 20 years in K-12 education, and is currently teaching pre-service teachers at the university level.
They have worked together for more than a decade, and are the authors of Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students, and their new book A School Leader’s Playbook for Tough Conversations.
Episode Sponsor
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Jun 1, 2026
Jun 1, 2026
40 min

Learn more about the Collaborative Behaviors Conference
Visit Continua Consulting's website
About the Guests: Courtney and Chris Daikos
Chris and Courtney Daikos are the co-founders of Continua Consulting Group, where they provide MTSS implementation support to schools and districts including collaborative behaviors and strategies for leadership.
Chris, a veteran of the US Army Rangers, is an experienced educational & psychological consultant, school administrator, special education teacher and school psychologist.
Courtney is an experienced educational leader and classroom teacher. She has led urban schools and school districts as a principal and director at both the elementary and secondary levels, serving communities with significant linguistic and cultural diversity.
Episode Sponsor
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

May 18, 2026
May 18, 2026
27 min

Get the book The Art and Science of Teacher Coaching
Visit Nancy and Doug's website, FisherandFrey.com
About the Guest
Nancy Frey, PhD is a professor in educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. She is the author of dozens of books, including The Courage to Learn, The Art and Science of Coaching, How Scaffolding Works, and The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning.
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

May 8, 2026
May 8, 2026
34 min

Get the book The Leader in Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Student at a Time
About This Week's Guest
Muriel Summers is an award-winning principal who twice guided her school, A.B. Combs Elementary in Raleigh, North Carolina, to being named the top magnet school of America and the original leadership school featured in FranklinCovey’s Leader in Me.
She has been recognized as teacher of the year, principal of the year, and with an honorary doctorate, the William and Ida Friday award for Leadership in Innovation, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine given by the Governor of North Carolina (the state’s highest honor given to a North Carolinian), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Award for Leadership in Education, and the Ralph Kimmel Award, North Carolina’s highest honor for principals.
She now serves as the Global Ambassador for the Leader in Me, and is the co-author, with Stephen R. Covey, Sean Covey, and David Hatch, of The Leader in Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Student at a Time.

May 5, 2026
May 5, 2026
30 min

Apr 26, 2026
Apr 26, 2026
30 min

Get the book, A School Leader’s Playbook for Tough Conversations
Visit Erika & Tiffany's website, ConnectingThroughConversation.com
About The Guests
Erika Bare is superintendent of South Umpqua School District in Oregon, and has more than 20 years in the profession as a teacher, principal and district leader.
Tiffany Burns has served as a principal, instructional coach, and teacher in her more than 20 years in K-12 education, and is currently teaching pre-service teachers at the university level.
They have worked together for more than a decade, and are the authors of Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students, and their new book A School Leader’s Playbook for Tough Conversations.
This episode inspired a new members-only feature in Repertoire—Network, a one-tap way to track quick interactions with teachers and plan them intentionally. Try it here for free or learn more »

Apr 18, 2026

Apr 11, 2026

Apr 6, 2026

Mar 30, 2026

Mar 21, 2026

Mar 14, 2026
Mar 14, 2026
25 min

Get the book, In Support of Student Data: A Data Workbook for MTSS Teams
Visit the Commonwealth Consulting Agency website, www.cca-pr.com
Follow Kristan on X @dr_rodriguez21
Connect with Kristan on LinkedIn
About The Author
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Mar 7, 2026
Mar 7, 2026
23 min

Mar 2, 2026
Mar 2, 2026
29 min

Feb 21, 2026
Feb 21, 2026
22 min

Feb 14, 2026
Feb 14, 2026
28 min

Visit Steve's Website, www.SteveReifman.com
About The Author
Steve Reifman has been an elementary school teacher for the past 31 years, and during that time he's earned National Board certification, traveled to Japan as a Fulbright Memorial Fund scholar, and completed two master's degrees.
He has experience working with students in all the elementary grade levels, and he's taught in both public and private schools. He's the author of several books for educators, such as The Complete Guide for New Elementary Teachers: Discover Joy and Success with a Whole Child Approach
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Feb 7, 2026

Jan 31, 2026
Jan 31, 2026
28 min

Get the book, The Daily SEL Leader
Get the book, A Blueprint for Teacher Retention: Leading Schools that Teachers Don't Want to Leave
Visit the Brass Tacks Innovations website, www.brasstacksinnovations.com
View the Teacher Retention Model PDF
About The Authors
James Bailey’s career has encompassed teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, school turnaround leader, consultant and superintendent roles spanning Texas, Colorado and Wyoming. He holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Innovation from the University of Colorado-Denver, is a prolific publisher and presenter, and currently serves as a core faculty member at Walden University in the area of educational leadership.
Randy Weiner has worked in education and education technology and consulting throughout his career. He co-founded the country’s first public Montessori, arts integration, and design thinking school in Oakland, CA. A Teach for America alum and father to two daughters, Randy taught for 5 years in Oakland and Madagascar, and holds two BAs from Middlebury College and an MA in Education from Stanford.
They are the founders of Brass Tacks Innovations, a consultancy focused on leadership development, workplace culture, teacher retention, and other challenges. James and Randy are the co-authors of The Daily SEL Leader and James is the author of A Blueprint for Teacher Retention: Leading Schools that Teachers Don’t Want To Leave.
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Jan 24, 2026

Jan 17, 2026
Jan 17, 2026
28 min

About The Authors
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Jan 10, 2026

Jan 3, 2026
Jan 3, 2026
28 min

About The Authors
This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.
Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.
Visit IXL.com/center to lead your school towards data-driven excellence today.

Dec 26, 2025

Dec 20, 2025
Dec 20, 2025
22 min

Get the book, A New School Leadership Architecture: A Four-Level Framework for Reimagining Roles
Visit the Holdsworth Center website, www.HoldsworthCenter.org
About The Author
Lindsay Whorton is president of The Holdsworth Center, a non-profit organization in Texas dedicated to building educational leaders. Initially serving seven school districts and 42 leaders in 2017, The Holdsworth Center has served more than 1,900 leaders in 89 public school districts. Lindsay is a teacher, writer, speaker, and advocate for public education and educators. She was a Rhodes and Fulbright scholar, and holds a master’s degree in comparative social policy and a doctorate in social policy from Oxford University. She is the author of Teachers Unions and Education Reform in Comparative Contexts.

Dec 12, 2025

Dec 6, 2025
Dec 6, 2025
23 min

Get the book Autopilot: Practical Productivity for School Leaders
Visit the 4 O'Clock Faculty Website
Follow Rich on Twitter @RACzyz
About The Author
Rich is a principal and former teacher and instructional coach, and he's the author of four books, including Autopilot: Practical Productivity for School Leaders

Nov 29, 2025

Nov 21, 2025
Nov 21, 2025
20 min

Nov 18, 2025

Nov 8, 2025
Nov 8, 2025
22 min

Nov 1, 2025

Oct 25, 2025
Oct 25, 2025
29 min

Oct 18, 2025

Oct 11, 2025
Oct 11, 2025
27 min

Oct 4, 2025
Oct 4, 2025
33 min

Sep 27, 2025
Sep 27, 2025
28 min

Sep 19, 2025
Sep 19, 2025
27 min

Sep 12, 2025
Sep 12, 2025
26 min

Aug 30, 2025
Aug 30, 2025
36 min
About The Author
Adam Tyner is national research director at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Dr. Tyner served as senior quantitative analyst at Hanover Research, and has taught English as a second language in China and California and taught courses at the University of California, San Diego. His research and commentary have appeared and been cited in national and international media such as The Economist, Forbes, BBC, NBC, The New York Times, Education Week, Education Next, and The Diplomat. His scholarly work has appeared in outlets such as Economics of Education Review and the Journal of East Asian Studies, and he is an executive editor of the Oklahoma Education Journal. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, San Diego, where he completed his doctoral dissertation on the integration of rural-to-urban migrant workers in China’s cities.

Aug 23, 2025

Aug 16, 2025
Aug 16, 2025
36 min

Aug 12, 2025
Aug 12, 2025
10 min

Aug 2, 2025
Aug 2, 2025
37 min

Jul 26, 2025
Jul 26, 2025
36 min

Jul 19, 2025
Jul 19, 2025
22 min

Jul 12, 2025






































