What Does a Public School Superintendent Do?

The role and responsibilities of public school superintendents vary from public school to public school and from state to state. In general though, public school superintends are responsible for the successful management of the school district and are expected to provide leadership related to the vision set forth by the Board of Education. They meet these responsibilities by working closely with the Board of Education to: 1) define the district's budget, 2) provide educational leadership related to the curriculum, 3) ensure personnel are qualified and receive routine supervision, 4) maintain the quality of district properties and 5) ensure positive community relations.

Public School Superintendent and the Board of Education

The responsibilities of the public school superintendent related to the Board of Education include: attendance and participation at all school board meetings, advising the Board on the programs, practices and challenges of the district, ensuring implementation of school policies and recommending revisions as appropriate, preparing data driven reports which identify the successes and challenges of the district, recommending public school district goals, monitoring progress toward goal attainment and supporting long-range planning.

Public School Superintendent and the Budget

The public school superintendent is responsible, annually, for preparing an operational budget that is based on the direction of the Board, facilitates the approval of a final budget and provides oversight of the implementation of the budget.

Public School Superintendent and the Curriculum

The public school superintendent is responsible for: staying up-to-date on educational theory and research based practices, knowing what legislative actions might impact the district and keeping the board apprised of these issues. Additionally, the superintendent oversees the development of educational objectives related to the curriculum, ongoing assessment, and student achievement.

Public School Superintendent and Personnel

The public school superintendent is responsible for recruiting and hiring all administrative personnel, directly supervised by him. He is responsible for staff being qualified and competent as well as ensuring ongoing professional development. He provides oversight to the personnel performance appraisal process and ensures all personnel matters are handled according to human resource policies.

Public School Superintendent and Facilities

The public school superintendent is responsible for ensuring the facilities manager is qualified and competent. He works with the Board to develop appropriate long and short-term goals for buildings, operations and maintenance programs.

Public School Superintendent and Community Relations

The public school superintendent maintains open and accessible lines of communication and working relationships with community constituents and partners including governmental. The superintendent is actively involved in local agency meetings and activities. In addition, the superintendent ensures regular communication with school personnel, the Board, parents and the community at-large.

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