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The objective of this chapter is to analyze educational leadership policy in New Jersey, US, and Ontario, Canada, focusing on the inclusion of the unique needs of systematically marginalized students, specifically refugees and forced immigrant (RFI) youth. Modes of inquiry are qualitative document analysis of New Jersey and Ontario leadership policies, preparation requirements, and standards. The objective of this paper is to present an extensive literature review of policies related to educational leadership and supporting RFI youth and their teachers as well as to reveal gaps in policies and examine pre- and in-service training requirements. Within the field of comparative and international education, this chapter highlights the institutionalization of trends in educational leadership at state or provincial levels and how these macro-level policies influence educators’ abilities to meet the needs of students from marginalized communities, such as refugees and immigrants.

In this discussion essay, the authors examine the development and implementation of the mitigation policy and practices that shaped Cairo American College’s (CAC) reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic. An international school located in Cairo, Egypt, CAC was the first and only school in Egypt and much of the Middle East to reopen in August 2020. This essay discusses stakeholders, policies, and practices that shaped the reopening process from utilizing research and data from leading international health organizations to working within the local community and the Government of Egypt’s COVID-19 mandates. Successes and challenges of this process are discussed with a focus on the importance of research-to-practice in policy development as well as collaborating with international schools in the region and beyond as a comparative model for other schools. Ensuring trust and buy-in from parents, faculty, and staff was paramount to the successful implementation and continuation of the reopening process. Research played a foundational role in creating and maintaining this trust amid the lack of comparable school reopenings. Recommendations for a safe and effective reopening plan are provided along with the necessary role of all stakeholders for its success including leadership, teachers, and the community.