Education Administrators, Elementary and Secondary School

Career Description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the academic, clerical, or auxiliary activities of public or private elementary or secondary level schools.

Industry: Management

Other Job Titles for Education Administrators, Elementary and Secondary School:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Review and approve new programs, or recommend modifications to existing programs, submitting program proposals for school board approval as necessary.
• Prepare, maintain, or oversee the preparation and maintenance of attendance, activity, planning, or personnel reports and records.
• Confer with parents and staff to discuss educational activities, policies, and student behavioral or learning problems.
• Prepare and submit budget requests and recommendations, or grant proposals to solicit program funding.
• Direct and coordinate school maintenance services and the use of school facilities.
• Counsel and provide guidance to students regarding personal, academic, vocational, or behavioral issues.
• Organize and direct committees of specialists, volunteers, and staff to provide technical and advisory assistance for programs.
• Teach classes or courses to students.
• Advocate for new schools to be built, or for existing facilities to be repaired or remodeled.
• Plan and develop instructional methods and content for educational, vocational, or student activity programs.
• Develop partnerships with businesses, communities, and other organizations to help meet identified educational needs and to provide school-to-work programs.
• Direct and coordinate activities of teachers, administrators, and support staff at schools, public agencies, and institutions.
• Evaluate curricula, teaching methods, and programs to determine their effectiveness, efficiency, and utilization, and to ensure that school activities comply with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Set educational standards and goals, and help establish policies and procedures to carry them out.
• Recruit, hire, train, and evaluate primary and supplemental staff.
• Enforce discipline and attendance rules.
• Observe teaching methods and examine learning materials to evaluate and standardize curricula and teaching techniques, and to determine areas where improvement is needed.
• Establish, coordinate, and oversee particular programs across school districts, such as programs to evaluate student academic achievement.
• Review and interpret government codes, and develop programs to ensure adherence to codes and facility safety, security, and maintenance.
• Determine allocations of funds for staff, supplies, materials, and equipment, and authorize purchases.
• Write articles, manuals, and other publications, and assist in the distribution of promotional literature about facilities and programs.
• Recommend personnel actions related to programs and services.
• Collaborate with teachers to develop and maintain curriculum standards, develop mission statements, and set performance goals and objectives.
• Collect and analyze survey data, regulatory information, and data on demographic and employment trends to forecast enrollment patterns and curriculum change needs.
• Determine the scope of educational program offerings, and prepare drafts of course schedules and descriptions to estimate staffing and facility requirements.
• Direct and conduct studies and research on issues affecting areas of responsibility.
• Attend and participate in meetings of municipal councils and council committees.
• Organize and approve promotional campaigns.
• Conduct or direct investigations or hearings to resolve complaints and violations of laws, or testify at such hearings.
• Represent organizations and promote their objectives at official functions, or delegate representatives to do so.
• Prepare bylaws approved by elected officials and ensure that bylaws are enforced.
• Direct and coordinate activities between the United States Government and foreign entities to provide information and promote international interests and harmony.

Emerging Tasks

• Coordinate and direct extracurricular activities and programs, such as after-school events and athletic contests.
• Meet with federal, state, and local agencies to keep updated on policies and discuss improvements for education programs.
• Mentor and support administrative staff members, such as superintendents and principals.
• Participate in special education-related activities, such as attending meetings and providing support to special educators throughout the district.
• Plan and lead professional development activities for teachers, administrators, and support staff.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee school logistics programs, such as bus and food services.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• administer educational institutions
• analyze operational or management reports or records
• analyze organizational operating practices or procedures
• analyze survey data to forecast enrollment changes
• assign work to staff or employees
• conduct or attend staff meetings
• conduct parent conferences
• conduct training for personnel
• consult with parents or school personnel to determine student needs
• consult with parents or teachers to develop programs
• coordinate educational content
• coordinate employee continuing education programs
• coordinate instructional outcomes
• counsel individuals with personal problems
• develop budgets
• develop instructional materials
• develop policies, procedures, methods, or standards
• develop staffing plan
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• establish educational policy or academic codes
• establish employee performance standards
• evaluate educational outcomes
• evaluate information from employment interviews
• evaluate performance of employees or contract personnel
• explain rules, policies or regulations
• hire, discharge, transfer, or promote workers
• interview job applicants
• maintain educational records, reports, or files
• maintain group discipline in an educational setting
• make presentations
• motivate workers to achieve work goals
• orient new employees
• oversee execution of organizational or program policies
• oversee site-based school management
• plan meetings or conferences
• prepare educational reports
• prepare instruction manuals
• recommend modifications to educational programs
• recommend personnel actions, such as promotions, transfers, and dismissals
• resolve problems in educational settings
• supervise student extra-curricular activities
• use conflict resolution techniques
• use government regulations
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use interviewing procedures
• use public speaking techniques
• use teaching techniques
• use time management techniques
• write public sector or educational grant proposals
• write sales or informational speeches

Overall Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

• Average annual wage (2007) - $80,580.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 7.59%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 17,144
• Employment (2006): 225,905

• Education Administrators, Postsecondary
• First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers
• Instructional Coordinators
• Management Analysts
• Medical and Health Services Managers
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Training and Development Managers
• Training and Development Specialists
• Storage and Distribution Managers
• Treasurers and Controllers