Also, the administrator is expected to know tribal educational policy and practice and how it influences public school education. The administrator is then expected to blend federal government and tribal expectations with state requirements. If the local community and tribe support bilingual and bicultural education, then one of the educational challenges of an administrator is to integrate the local tribal language and culture into the regular curriculum of the school. Relevant curriculum materials and teaching methods must be identified or developed. The administrator often serves as the link between the school, the community, and the tribe.
Conflict can be destructive.
Resolving such conflict often demands decisions which are politically or culturally based and which may seem to be illogical. Achieving effectiveness in school administration under these circumstances may depend on the background and ethnicity of the administrator. Cultural factors and local expectations can make it difficult for a local person to be an effective administrator. The major issues and problems facing public school administrators on the Indian reservations encompass educational standards, funding, public relations, staffing, and student attendance as well as a number of other areas. Providing high-quality education while complying with state, federal and tribal standards becomes increasingly difficult under conditions of limited population that may be bilingual and bicultural.