School administrators have the responsibility of running the various schools and school systems in the United States. Their duties depend on whether they work at the state or local level, whether they work in a public or parochial school system or private school, and their area of responsibility.
At the state level, a superintendent of schools or director of education oversees the functioning of the public school systems and state colleges within the state. The superintendent is responsible for setting and enforcing minimum standards for schools and teachers, administering teacher certification programs, and administering whatever state and federal funds are provided for education.
At the local level, a superintendent of schools is appointed by a local public school board or by a parochial school system to administer an individual school system. The system may consist of just a few schools or many schools. The superintendent hires and supervises all personnel; prepares the school budget; is responsible for physical maintenance of buildings and equipment; makes projections for future needs; and oversees curriculum and textbook decisions, purchasing, public transportation, and many other details. The superintendent's job is often a thankless one—the local school board and citizens, on one hand, trying to keep taxes down and teachers trying to provide the best education possible for the students on the other. It is the superintendent, working to appease both groups, who usually gets the blame for everything.
The superintendent is usually assisted by various other administrators who handle special areas. Special-subject supervisors coordinate the activities and curriculum of a specific subject area throughout all the schools in the system. The most common special areas are music, art, remedial reading, physical education, libraries, and business or technical education. Special-education supervisors plan and supervise the instruction of handicapped students and, in school systems that provide them, handle programs for gifted students as well.
A curriculum director evaluates the subjects and activities included in the curricula of the schools within the school system and makes recommendations to teachers and other administrators.
Within an individual school, the principal is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school. The principal must operate within a budget, be both an educator and a business manager, develop and maintain a good working relationship with teachers and students, handle discipline, and oversee building maintenance.
In a private school, the principal is often called a headmaster or headmistress. If the school also provides residence facilities for its students, the headmaster has additional responsibilities besides those of a school principal. Living quarters, food, laundry, recreation facilities, and "substitute parent" functions would then be part of the headmaster's duties as well.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
School administrators function under constant pressure, especially at the highest levels. Frustration is often part of the job, and administrators must face the fact that they are often resented by the very people they work to serve.
Hours for most administrators are long and irregular. Evening meetings and civil functions often push the total up to 50 or 60 hours or more a week.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
An interest in the development of children, the ability to get along with people, communication and business skills, patience, tact, and good judgment are all necessary.
The first step in this career field is a degree in teaching or education. Graduate study in educational administration is necessary for most administrative positions. A master's degree is the minimum requirement; top-level positions in large schools or school systems usually require a Ph.D.
Potential and Advancement
Employment will grow, but there will be stiff competition for all jobs in this field. Those persons who combine the appropriate educational credentials with wide experience will have the best chance of securing the choice jobs at all levels. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for postsecondary school administrators will grow by 9 percent between 2014 and 2024, signaling good job opportunities for those in the field. Expected job growth for elementary and secondary school administrators is not listed, though it will likely grow about the same pace as the demand for postsecondary administrators.
Advancement in this field may be from teacher up through the ranks in a single school system or may take the form of moving to a larger school system. Administrators in middle-level positions in large systems often advance by securing top-level positions in small school systems or private schools.
Income
Earnings vary widely depending mainly on the size and location of the school system, level of responsibility, and experience. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, school administrators working in elementary and secondary schools earn an average salary of $92,940 per year, while postsecondary school administrators earn a median salary of $88,580.
