Smooth Operators: Careers in Education Administration
Education administrators coordinate, manage, plan and evaluate the business of schools.
If a school is to run efficiently and provide an education to its students then
it needs a strong, competent leader who can:
Provide instructional leadership
Manage an educational institution’s daily activities, such as schedule classes, order textbooks and
supplies, coordinate transportation, and other facilities management
Set educational standards and goals
Establish educational policies
Supervise educational staff (teachers, career counselors, support staff, coaches, librarians, etc.)
Develop academic programs
Monitor students’ educational progress and ensure they meet national, state and local standards
Train and motivate teachers
Oversee recordkeeping
Prepare budgets, sometimes fundraise to meet deficits
Relate with parents, students and the community
In elementary, middle
and secondary schools, the first step as an administrator may be as an
assistant principal who helps a principal manage the schools. Public
school districts oversee a number of schools in their districts who are managed
by school district administrators.
At higher educational institutions there usually are several level of
administrators. At the top is the school’s provost or chief academic
officer, who helps the president run the institution and manage faculty
(appointments and tenure). Academic deans run individual colleges within
universities. A director of development oversees fundraising
activities. And each academic department has a chairperson that manages the
department (e.g. make teaching assignments, propose budgets, faculty
management.) Other job titles in a university include: vice president of
student affairs, dean of students, director of student services, registrar,
directors of admissions, financial aid director, and athletic director.
No matter where you are in the country, there are schools. To find out more about a professional career
in education administration, click here.
