In most circles, educators and school administrators are well regarded and credible. They shape future generations, guide institutional progress, and work hard daily to navigate the complex education landscape. Yet, too often, their commitments and insights remain confined within classrooms and school communities. What’s more, stories surrounding public schools and higher education are overwhelmingly negative. Headlines typically focus on funding, test scores, mental health issues, crises, and other topics that dominate the narrative.
Success stories, career preparedness initiatives, and innovative technology partnerships receive far less attention. As we highlighted previously in our article on Storytelling in Education, this imbalance skews public perception and undermines trust.
Thought leadership offers a powerful solution. By positioning educators and administrators as credible voices in public discourse, schools and universities can shift perception. Through effective thought leadership storytelling, these subject matter experts can influence policy, engage stakeholders, and demonstrate the value public schools and institutions of higher learning offer. More importantly, elevating the voices of teachers and administrators can effectively build reputational capital, attract prospective families (i.e., students), and strengthen an institution’s standing as a hub for career readiness and innovation. As a seasoned thought leadership agency, in this article we share five ways on how to turn educators and school administrators into trusted, recognized thought leaders.
Identify and Cultivate Unique Expertise
With professional media training, practically every educator or administrator can deliver a steady drum beat of good news for a school district or university. Some excel in research that addresses real-world problems, while others develop innovative teaching methodologies or lead transformative policy initiatives. The first step in building thought leadership is to recognize and articulate these areas of expertise.
For faculty, this might mean highlighting their research on pressing issues such as public health or emerging technologies. Administrators can be positioned as experts on transforming the learning experience itself by integrating career readiness, reimagining the traditional classroom, and championing experiential learning models that prepare students for jobs of the future.
Aligning these strengths with current events or trends is essential. For example, an administrator leading STEM initiatives can weigh in on national workforce development strategies, while a faculty member researching social media’s impact on student well-being can offer insights to media and effectively reach community leaders and parents alike.
Once identified, this expertise should be catalogued and organized into a framework that makes it easy to amplify across communications channels. Media relations, institutional newsletters, thought leadership articles, and speaking opportunities can all be utilized to ensure consistent, positive storytelling. Consider seeking expertise from an education PR agency to better understand and elevate your communications program.
Translate Complex Research into Accessible Insights
One of the greatest challenges in education PR is bridging the gap between academic rigor and public understanding. Faculty research is often filled with technical language, detailed methodologies, and nuanced findings that may not resonate with parents, local leaders, or journalists.
The key is translation; breaking down complex issues with clarity. Case studies, relatable metaphors, and real-world examples can transform research into stories that engage wider audiences. For instance, instead of citing only statistical outcomes, an educator might share how a teaching strategy improved a specific student’s performance or how a regional health and wellness study directly informed community practices.
This approach not only humanizes data but also positions educators as connectors between scholarly research and real life circumstances. When a professor explains how their work improves classroom learning, or a school administrator shares how new technology reduces achievement gaps, they become accessible voices who influence public understanding.
By consistently framing insights in ways that resonate with stakeholders, educators build credibility with both the media and the communities they serve.
Leverage Media Relations and Op-Ed Opportunities
Media coverage remains one of the most effective avenues for establishing thought leadership. Journalists, editors, and producers look for authoritative voices who can provide timely commentary and context. Teachers and administrators are ideally positioned to meet this need, but only if they are proactively pitched and prepared.
Education PR firms can identify the right opportunities and outlets. For example, a professor focused on adolescent mental health might be a source for national media and education trade publications, while an administrator reimagining curriculum design could connect with regional or local newspapers and radio stations.
Op-ed writing is another powerful tool. By authoring guest columns, educators can directly insert their districts’ views and enlighten community conversations. An opinion piece in Education Week or a local paper can reach stakeholders with clarity and authority, which builds significant credibility for the district or institution.
To maximize these opportunities, media training is essential. Many educators have deep expertise but limited experience speaking with journalists. Training helps them refine key messages, handle challenging questions, and communicate with confidence to ensure their voice is heard and understood.
Build a Digital and Social Media Presence
In today’s digital landscape, thought leadership extends far beyond traditional media. Faculty and administrators who develop a strong online presence can dramatically expand their influence.
LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are all highly relevant channels to focus on. Regular posts or video sharing insights, commenting on industry trends, and celebrating successes help educators engage peers, parents, alumni, and prospective students. Blog articles and webinars can provide deeper analysis, while podcasts or short videos make content engaging and easily shareable. Social media channels are always changing. For example, LinkedIn’s “connection-only” feed sparked many ideas in leveraging the platform to build thought leadership.
Institutions should also support faculty in developing professional online profiles that reflect their expertise and credibility. A consistent digital presence reinforces thought leadership and ensures the institution is represented by authoritative voices across multiple channels.
The goal is not self-promotion but amplification. Therefore, this work should entail helping educators share their work in ways that elevate both their professional reputations and school brands.
Integrate Thought Leadership into Institutional Messaging
Thought leadership cannot exist in isolation. To maximize its impact, it must be woven into a district’s overall narrative.
This integration can take many forms: featuring teacher research in e-newsletters, showcasing administrators’ insights at community events, or positioning educators as spokespeople during key announcements. Public, charter, and private schools and universities should also highlight faculty expertise in marketing materials, recruitment campaigns, and conference programming. By doing so, they reinforce the idea that their educators are not only teaching students but are valued intellectuals who know their communities and can help shape broader conversations. When faculty and administrators are consistently positioned as thought leaders, they become central to the district’s identity and brand promise. This strategy should encourage conversations with stakeholders. Instead of one-way communication, institutions can encourage dialogue by inviting students, parents, alumni, and community members to engage with the thought leadership topics being shared.
Conclusion
Elevating educators and administrators into thought leaders is a strategic investment in people, school districts, and other educational institutions including trade and technical schools. When schools and universities amplify the voices of their leaders, they not only strengthen their reputations but also influence public discourse on education, policy, community, and society.
Institutions that prioritize thought leadership distinguish themselves as centers of innovation, credibility, and authority. By empowering faculty and administrators to share their insights, they build trust, attract talent, grow their student base, and inspire change.
About Rosica Communications
Rosica Communications is a national PR firm specializing in thought leadership, crisis communications, and integrated marketing communications.
We partner with schools and education institutions to amplify faculty voices, strengthen reputations, and build credibility with stakeholders. Our expertise also spans nonprofit, healthcare, animal health, and food PR, enabling us to craft cross-industry strategies with measurable impact.
To measure the success of our client’s PR and thought leadership programs, Rosica invented the Thought Leadership Measurement Matrix™—a tool that analyzes over 20 performance indicators, helping institutions benchmark visibility, assess impact, and optimize ongoing initiatives.
Learn more by scheduling a call with Chris Rosica, CEO and President of Rosica Communications: https://calendly.com/rosica/30min.