The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in school superintendent roles:

• Reports issues, present proposals, and make recommendations of behalf of the district and its schools to the school board
• Work with principals, assistant principals, teachers, students, parents, and community members to implement programs and policies and create and maintain a thriving learning environment
• Oversee and manage all district finances, assign budgets to individual schools, and request additional funds when needed
• Serve as the face of the district to the community, media, surrounding districts, and politicians
• Manage school operations and ensure appropriate resources are in place for student transportation, building maintenance, and facility upgrades

A Day in the Life of a School Superintendent

The role of a school superintendent is enormous, and superintendents rarely have a quiet day. They spend a lot of their time working with others, gaining a better understanding of issues and making arguments on behalf of their schools. They work with school principals to understand the needs and problems of individual schools, work with parents and community members to discern ways to improve opinions of the district, and work with the school board to garner favor for proposed requests.

Beyond working with others, school superintendents also have a lot of administrative responsibilities. They’re responsible for purchasing busses and making sure student transportation is executed without issue. They oversee hiring of school principals and support staff. They review student transfer requests and may have to sign off on admitting transfer students, and they may also have a role in determining how many new teachers to hire, how many classes to offer, and how many students to accept.

Finally, one of the most important roles of a school superintendent is that of establishing educational programs, school curriculums, and staff professional development opportunities. They ensure that student learning is taking place and that schools in the district perform well on standardized testing. Ultimately, the superintendent is held accountable for poor test scores and unsatisfactory performance, so they spent a significant amount of time ensuring that district schools enable and encourage learning.

Typical Work Schedule for School Superintendents

School superintendents work year-round—they do not enjoy summers off like most school personnel. While most their work occurs during normal business hours, they’re also expected to attend community and school events during evenings and on weekends. Additionally, because the role carries so many responsibilities, superintendents must often work overtime to ensure all required tasks are completed.

Career Progression

• Early Career: Teacher, Assistant Principal
• Mid-Career: Principal, Instructional Coordinator
• Late Career: School Superintendent

Typical Employers

Generally, all public school districts have a superintendent. Public school superintendents are employed by local or state governments. Private schools may also hire superintendents.