How can early childhood directors effectively lead during a crisis? Crisis Leadership in Early Childhood Education explores the leadership experiences of preschool directors during the 9/11 attacks and offers a practical framework for crisis management in educational settings.

Drawing on firsthand accounts, this book provides insights into key leadership strategies, communication techniques, and community support systems crucial for managing crises. Through a qualitative study of directors near the World Trade Center, this book reveals how leadership style and emotional support for staff and families shaped crisis responses. It introduces the Educational Crisis Framework (ECF), offering actionable lessons on preparedness, decision-making, and reducing school turbulence.

This book is essential reading for early childhood administrators, school leaders, and policymakers seeking to build resilient programs and lead with clarity, compassion, and confidence in times of uncertainty.

Susan H. Shapiro is co-director of the New DEEL (Democratic Ethical Educational Leadership) and Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Special Education at Touro Graduate School of Education. She has led early childhood programs and inclusion programs. She has also been an advocate for early childhood education policy and has authored articles on crisis, ethical leadership, and compassion. She is the author of Interpreting COVID-19 Through Turbulence Theory: Perspectives and Cases from Early Childhood and Special Education, Developing Community-Based School Crisis Response: Case Studies for PreK-12 Classrooms, and Ethical Educational Leadership in Turbulent Times (3rd Edition).