A school administrator’s responsibilities are usually determined by their position within the educational system. Principals, assistant principals, and school superintendents collaborate closely and share administrative responsibilities. Curriculum planning, school budget planning, and meeting with parents and other members of the community to help achieve common community goals for their specific school system are typical responsibilities.
Budgeting is usually handled by the school superintendent’s office; however, budgeting usually necessitates input from school principals. Certain funds will be set aside for recreational activities, educational tools, and teacher salaries in their budgets. Different jurisdictions manage their educational systems differently, but a single school district frequently receives funding from multiple levels of government, including regional, federal, and state. The majority of the time, it is up to a school administrator to figure out how to best allocate these funds.
Another important responsibility of a school administrator is to make decisions about school curriculum, and these decisions can have long-term consequences. The cost of books and related learning tools to advance a core curriculum is often prohibitive, and any curriculum chosen is likely to be in place for several years. If a curriculum was chosen and then had to be abandoned due to poor performance, it would be a poor reflection on a school administrator. The majority of the time, principals and superintendents talk to teachers about curriculum changes because teachers are often better at evaluating learning resources.
Dealing with problems that may arise between parents, students, and teachers is another important responsibility of a school administrator. The majority of the time, school counselors deal with these issues first, but in some cases, a principal or assistant principal may be required to intervene. When an administrator is required to participate in counseling decisions, it is usually due to issues involving student behavior.
In most school systems, there is a hierarchy of authority, with the school superintendent at the top. Principals are the next level down from superintendents, followed by assistant principals. They have direct administrative control over all other employees in a school system.
The salary range for a school administrator varies a lot depending on where you work and how much experience you have. The average salary for a school principal in the United States (US) is $95,000 USD, $75,000 USD for an assistant principal, and up to $155,000 USD for a college dean. A superintendent of schools is usually an elected position, and the salary is usually set by the electing body.