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Text File | 1995-10-24 | 15.7 KB | 350 lines

349
Education Administrators

(D.O.T. 075.117-010, -018, -030; 090.117 except -034, .167;
091.107; 092.167; 094.107, .117-010, .167-014; 096.167;
097.167; 099.117 except -022, .167-034; 100.117-010; 169.267-022;
188.167-094; 239.137-010)

Nature of the Work

Smooth operation of an educational institution requires
competent administrators. Education administrators provide
direction, leadership, and day-to-day management of
educational activities in schools, colleges and
universities, businesses, correctional institutions,
museums, and job training and community service
organizations. (College presidents and school
superintendents are covered in the Handbook statement
on general managers and top executives.) Education
administrators set educational standards and goals and aid
in establishing policies and procedures to carry them out.
They develop academic programs; train and motivate teachers
and other staff; manage guidance and other student services;
administer recordkeeping; prepare budgets; handle relations
with parents, prospective students, employers, or others
outside of education; and perform numerous other activities.

   They supervise subordinate managers, management support
staff, teachers, counselors, librarians, coaches, and
others. In an organization such as a small daycare center,
there may be one administrator who handles all functions.
In a major university or large school system,
responsibilities are divided among many administrators, each
with a specific function.

   Principals manage elementary and secondary schools.
They set the academic tone high-quality instruction is
their main responsibility. Principals assign teachers and
other staff, help them improve their skills, and evaluate
them. They confer with them advising, explaining, or
answering procedural questions. They visit classrooms,
review instructional objectives, and examine learning
materials. They also meet with other administrators,
students, parents, and representatives of community organizations.
They prepare budgets and reports on various subjects,
including finances, health, and attendance, and
oversee the requisitioning and allocation of supplies. As
school budgets become tighter, many principals are trying to
encourage financial support for their schools from local
businesses.

   In recent years, as schools have become more involved
with a student's emotional welfare as well as academic
achievement, schools are providing more services to
students. As a result, principals face new responsibilities.
For example, in response to the growing number of dual-income
and single-parent families and teenage parents, more schools
have before- and after-school child-care programs or family
resource centers, which also may offer parenting classes and
social service referrals. With the help of other community
organizations, principals also may establish programs to
combat the increase in crime, drug and alcohol abuse, and
sexually transmitted disease among students.

   Assistant principals aid the principal in the overall
administration of the school. Depending on the number of
students, a school may have more than one assistant
principal, or may not have any. They are responsible for
programming student classes and coordinating transportation,
custodial, cafeteria, and other support services. They
usually handle discipline, social and recreational programs,
and health and safety. They also may counsel students on
personal, educational, or vocational matters.

   Public schools also are managed by administrators in
school district central offices. This group includes those
who direct subject area programs such as English, music,
vocational education, special education, and mathematics.
They plan, evaluate, and improve curriculums and teaching
techniques and help teachers improve their skills and learn
about new methods and materials. They oversee career
counseling programs, and testing which measures students'
abilities and helps place them in appropriate classes.
Central office administrators also include directors of
programs such as guidance, school psychology, athletics,
curriculum and instruction, and professional development.
With the trend toward site-based management, principals and
assistant principals, along with teachers and other staff,
have primary responsibility for many of these programs in
their individual schools.

   In colleges and universities, academic deans, also
known as deans of faculty, provosts, or university deans,
assist presidents and develop budgets and academic policies
and programs. They direct and coordinate activities of
deans of individual colleges and chairpersons of academic
departments.

   College or university department heads or chairpersons
are in charge of departments such as English, biological
science, or mathematics. They coordinate schedules of
classes and teaching assignments, propose budgets, recruit,
interview, and hire applicants for teaching positions,
evaluate faculty members, and perform other administrative
duties in addition to teaching.

   Higher education administrators also provide student
services. Deans of students also known as vice presidents
of student affairs or student life, or directors of student
services direct and coordinate admissions, foreign student
services, and health and counseling services, as well as
social, recreation, and related programs. In a small
college, they may counsel students. Registrars are
custodians of students' education records. They register
students, prepare student transcripts, evaluate academic
records, oversee the preparation of college catalogs and
schedules of classes, and analyze registration statistics.
Directors of admissions manage the process of recruiting and
admitting students, and work closely with financial aid
directors, who oversee scholarship, fellowship, and loan
programs. Directors of student activities plan and arrange
social, cultural, and recreational activities, assist
student-run organizations, and may orient new students.
Athletic directors plan and direct intramural and
intercollegiate athletic activities, including publicity for
athletic events, preparation of budgets, and supervision of
coaches.

   Education administrators, unlike teachers, usually work year
round.

Working Conditions

Education administrators hold management positions with
significant responsibility. Coordinating and interacting
with faculty, parents, and students can be fast-paced and
stimulating, but also stressful and demanding. Some jobs
include travel. Principals and assistant principals whose
main duty is discipline may find working with difficult
students frustrating, but challenging.

   Most education administrators work more than 40 hours a
week, including many nights and weekends when school
activities take place. Unlike teachers, they usually work
year round.

Employment

Education administrators held about 351,000 jobs in 1992.
About 9 out of 10 were in educational services in
elementary, secondary, and technical schools and colleges
and universities. The rest worked in child daycare centers,
religious organizations, job training centers, State
departments of education, and businesses and other
organizations that provide training activities for their
employees.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

   Education administrator is not usually an entry level
job. Many education administrators begin their careers in
related occupations, and prepare for a job in education
administration by completing a master's or doctoral degree.
Because of the diversity of duties and levels of
responsibility, their educational backgrounds and experience
vary considerably. Principals, assistant principals,
central office administrators, and academic deans usually
have taught or held another related job before moving into
administration. Some teachers move directly into
principalships; however, most first gain experience as an
assistant principal or in a central office administrative
job. In some cases, administrators move up from related
staff jobs such as recruiter, residence hall director, or
financial aid or admissions counselor. Earning a higher
degree generally improves one's advancement opportunities in
education administration.

   To be considered for education administrator positions,
workers must first prove themselves in their current jobs.
In evaluating candidates, supervisors look for
determination, confidence, innovativeness, motivation, and
managerial attributes, such as ability to make sound
decisions and to organize and coordinate work efficiently.
Since much of an administrator's job involves interacting
with others, from students to parents to teachers, they must
have strong interpersonal skills and be effective
communicators and motivators. Knowledge of management
principles and practices, gained through work experience and
formal education, is important.

   In public schools, principals, assistant principals,
and school administrators in central offices generally need
a master's degree in education administration or educational
supervision, and a State teaching certificate. Some
principals and central office administrators have a
doctorate in education administration. In private schools,
they often have a master's or doctoral degree, but may hold
only a bachelor's degree since they are not subject to State
certification requirements.

   Academic deans usually have a doctorate in their
specialty. Admissions, student affairs, and financial aid
directors and registrars often start in related staff jobs
with bachelor's degrees any field usually is acceptable
and get advanced degrees in college student affairs or
higher education administration. A Ph.D. or Ed.D. usually
is necessary for top student affairs positions. Computer
literacy and a background in mathematics or statistics may
be assets in admissions, records, and financial work.

   Advanced degrees in higher education administration,
educational supervision, and college student affairs are
offered in many colleges and universities. The National
Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education accredits
programs. Education administration degree programs include
courses in school management, school law, school finance and
budgeting, curriculum development and evaluation, research
design and data analysis, community relations, politics in
education, counseling, and leadership. Educational
supervision degree programs include courses in supervision
of instruction and curriculum, human relations, curriculum
development, research, and advanced pedagogy courses.

   Education administrators advance by moving up an
administrative ladder or transferring to larger schools or
systems. They also may become superintendent of a school
system or president of an educational institution.

Job Outlook

Substantial competition is expected for prestigious jobs
as education administrators. Many teachers and other staff
meet the education and experience requirements for these
jobs, and seek promotion. However, the number of openings
is relatively small, so generally only the most highly
qualified are selected. Candidates who have the most formal
education and who are willing to relocate should have the
best job prospects.

   Employment of education administrators is expected to
grow about as fast as the average for all occupations
through the year 2005. Most job openings, particularly for
principals and assistant principals, are likely to result
from the need to replace administrators who retire.
Additional openings will be created by workers who transfer
to other occupations.

   Employment of education administrators will grow as
school enrollments increase; as more services are provided
to students; as efforts to improve the quality of education
continue; and as institutions comply with government
regulations, such as those regarding financial aid.

   The number of education administrators employed depends
largely on State and local expenditures for education.
Budgetary constraints could result in fewer administrators
than anticipated; pressures to increase spending to improve
the quality of education could result in more.

Earnings

Salaries of education administrators vary according to
position, level of responsibility and experience, and the
size and location of the institution.

   According to the Educational Research Service, Inc.,
average salaries for principals and assistant principals in
the school year 1992-93 were as follows:


Principals:
  Elementary school..............................................$54,900
  Junior high/middle school...................................... 58,600
  Senior high school............................................. 63,000

Assistant principals:
  Elementary school..............................................$45,400
  Junior high/middle school...................................... 49,900
  Senior high school............................................. 52,300

In 1992-93, according to the College and University
Personnel Association, median annual salaries for selected
administrators in higher education were as follows:


Academic deans:
  Medicine......................................................$182,600
  Law........................................................... 129,000
  Engineering.................................................... 97,000
  Arts and sciences.............................................. 74,100
  Business....................................................... 73,700
  Education...................................................... 72,500
  Social sciences................................................ 54,500
  Mathematics.................................................... 53,400

Student services directors:
  Admissions and registrar....................................... 47,500
  Student financial aid.......................................... 40,500
  Student activities............................................. 30,900


Related Occupations

Education administrators apply organizational and leadership
skills to provide services to individuals. Workers in related
occupations include health services administrators, social
service agency administrators, recreation and park managers,
museum directors, library directors, and professional and
membership organization executives. Since principals and
assistant principals generally have extensive teaching
experience, their backgrounds are similar to those of
teachers and many school counselors.

Sources of Additional Information

   For information on elementary and secondary school
principals, assistant principals, and central office
administrators, contact:

   American Federation of School Administrators, 1729 21st St. NW.,
Washington, DC 20009.

   American Association of School Administrators, 1801
North Moore St., Arlington, VA 22209.

   For information on elementary school principals and
assistant principals, contact:

   The National Association of Elementary School Principals,
1615 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314-3483.

   For information on secondary school principals and assistant
principals, contact:

   The National Association of Secondary School Principals,
1904 Association Dr., Reston, VA 22091.

   For information on college student affairs administrators,
contact:

   National Association of Student Personnel Administrators,
1875 Connecticut Ave. NW., Suite 418, Washington, DC 20009-5728.

   For information on collegiate registrars and admissions officers,
contact:

   American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions
Officers, One Dupont Circle NW., Suite 330, Washington, DC
20036-1171.