Education administrators set educational standards and goals and aid in establishing the policies and procedures to carry them out. They also supervise 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 these functions. In universities or large school systems, responsibilities are divided among many administrators, each with a specific function.
Principals manage elementary and secondary schools.
They set the academic tone and they hire teachers and other staff, help them improve their skills, and evaluate them. They visit classrooms, observe teaching methods, review instructional objectives, and examine learning materials. They actively work with teachers to develop and maintain high curriculum standards, develop mission statements, and set performance goals and objectives. Principals also meet and interact with other administrators, students, parents, and representatives of community organizations. As decision-making authority shifts from school district central offices to individual schools, parents, teachers, and other members of the community are playing an increasingly important role in setting school policies and goals.