In the late 19th century, long before DraftKings and FanDuel, people were gambling not on the NFL, but on horse racing. While gamblers today can easily find all kinds of statistics to inform their bets, these early bettors had to depend on inside information. They knew that the most reliable info on a horse’s condition came from jockeys and stable hands. These people worked so closely with the horses that their tips practically came “straight from the horse’s mouth”—hence the phrase we still use today to describe trustworthy information. 

When it comes to education, the strategies worth betting on don’t come from the outside. Instead, they come from you: the administrators, communicators, and other leaders doing the work everyday. They grow out of challenges you navigated and hard lessons you learned. When you put those lessons into words, you don’t just shine a light on your district; you give other districts the tools to shine, too. 

That’s why SchoolCEO Magazine is now opening submissions for new “perspectives”—1,500-2,000 word guest articles written by K-12 professionals like yourselves. So if you’re a superintendent, communications director, CTO, or district leader with a strong point of view, we want to hear from you!

Why Write for SchoolCEO?

When you write a perspective for SchoolCEO, you get the chance to work with a team of editors who’ll help you craft the best possible version of your article. Not only that, our platform allows you to contribute to the national conversation about school marketing and leadership.

Perspectives published in our quarterly print magazine will reach more than 25,000 school leaders nationwide, including superintendents, communications directors and other cabinet-level administrators. We also publish online and regularly reshare perspectives through our social media channels. Our contributors not only elevate their districts, but also position themselves as thought leaders within the K-12 community.

What We’re Looking For

Before submitting, be sure to familiarize yourself with our content. At SchoolCEO, everything we publish ultimately ties back to marketing—the ongoing work of building trust, strengthening reputation and creating positive emotional connections with your community. That work can take many forms, from the experience in your school buildings to your web presence to your crisis communications. If it shapes the way people think and feel about your schools, it’s marketing. 

We call these features “perspectives” for a reason—we love pieces that are written in a conversational, first-person voice and drawn from personal experience. Maybe you’ve led your district through a difficult moment and learned something you wish you’d known earlier. Maybe you’ve launched an initiative that reshaped how families experience your schools. Or maybe you’ve wrestled with a common challenge and discovered a strategy that made a difference. 

We also want the perspectives we publish to be actionable. If you’re sharing a marketing strategy that’s worked for your district, for example, help readers imagine how they could transfer that strategy to their own schools. What would you recommend to someone implementing a similar approach? What would you do differently if you could launch this initiative again?

To see examples of past perspectives, click here.

Upcoming Themes

We’re looking for perspectives that align with our upcoming themes. Here are short overviews of our next three. 

Hospitality and Customer Service | Summer 2026 

Every interaction stakeholders have with your schools—from the classroom to the central office to your website—shapes their perception of your district. So how can schools ensure that each touchpoint leaves students, families and community members feeling welcome?

Becoming a District of Choice | Fall 2026

As school choice programs expand across the country and staffing continues to be a challenge, how can public school districts position themselves as the best choice for students, families and staff members?

Building Advocates | Winter 2027

It’s long been established that people trust the recommendations of people they know more than any other type of marketing. So how can districts create and leverage strong advocates to champion their schools?

FAQs

How do I submit?

Please send either a concise pitch or a fully drafted submission to editor@schoolceo.com. Pitches should be 1-2 paragraphs and should outline your main idea, the challenge you’re addressing and the takeaway for readers. Be sure to include your name, title, district or organization, and a short professional bio. 

How long should my perspective be? 

Perspectives published in our print magazine are generally between 1500-2000 words. Shorter submissions may be considered for online-only publication.

Am I allowed to use AI?

While you are welcome to use AI tools to assist with research or organization, we ask that all submissions be human-written. For more information on how SchoolCEO uses AI, click here.

What should I expect if my perspective is accepted?

We reserve the right to edit perspective submissions for style, length or clarity. If we have questions or suggestions about the content of your perspective, we may ask you to make appropriate revisions. We will send the final version of your perspective back to you for review as long as time permits. 

My district is doing something noteworthy, but I’m not much of a writer. Can I still share the idea with SchoolCEO?

Absolutely! We are always looking for programs, initiatives or ideas to highlight, especially ones related to our upcoming themes. Email us anytime at editor@schoolceo.com to give us the scoop. We’ll take it from there!

Nearly every aspect of a district’s operations, from staffing to program offerings, stems from one key factor: enrollment. Your enrollment numbers determine your funding—and your funding determines just about everything else.

Enrollment marketing is a complex problem that can’t be solved with a simple answer, but one strategy can help: the customer journey. Learn the path to building exceptional enrollment marketing for your schools on Tuesday, March 10th at 1pm CST in our free webinar with veteran school communications professional Greg Turchetta.