If being a principal is overwhelming, taking on a superintendent position is not likely to help matters. Middle-level management professionals thinking about moving to higher-level leadership may have some things to think about before doing so. School administration is a challenging, yet rewarding career path. Transitioning from Principal to Superintendent These are things that help land the job, and the ability to develop fulfilling relationships will make the job easier. Aside from the coursework and licenses, donвЂ™t underestimate character, integrity, and experience. Doing so would qualify them for other positions in education as well. Some choose to go further and complete a doctorate degree or chief school business official endorsement. Working as a building-level administrator for two years and further coursework to attain a specialist degree in education is a requirement as well. An administrative endorsement is the next step and can be obtained by teaching for at least two years and earning a masterвЂ™s degree in education administration. A potential candidate must first acquire a teaching license. Typically, the requirements for attaining a superintendent position has multiple layers. Stress from this pressure, among other things, can be tasking which makes personal health something to keep in check more so than in the principalship. At the superintendent level, many issues may need the advice of higher-level administrators from neighboring school districts or other mentors familiar with district-level decision making. At the principal level, bouncing ideas off of fellow administrators in the same district is typical. With bigger problems to handle as a superintendent, good decision-making skills are a must and developing a support system capable of giving sound, unbiased advice is something that can be very advantageous. The principal puts out the candles every day while the superintendent fights the house fires that happen a few times a year. You might often hear of the term вЂњputting out firesвЂќ. While a superintendentвЂ™s work generally contains timelines for tasks, they arenвЂ™t generally as urgent as those at the building level. Conversely, the superintendent is removed from these daily interactions and is often housed away from the school buildings in a separate office. Many of the principalвЂ™s tasks are time sensitive. Principals typically handle day-to-day operations of a building and have interaction with teachers and students on a daily basis. It is quite a different dynamic when elected officials essentially become a supervisor of an educational professional. Managing this many people can be cumbersome at times, considering the personalities, levels of involvement, or potential political agendas of board members. There are also many stakeholders in the district that the superintendent must be in communication with. Being a superintendent, however, requires a seven-member board to support high-level decision-making. Typically, a principal reports to a higher level administrator. Perhaps the biggest difference might be the accountability aspect. Going from building level administration to the district level can be quite a big step, depending on the size of the school system. Differences Between Principal and Superintendent It is important to realize your interests, along with your strengths and weaknesses before deciding to make the move. Weighing the options will be helpful in determining whether another transition is warranted in your career path. Though the job is challenging, it has its share of rewards as well.

If you have made the transition from teaching to administration, you may be thinking about an eventual step into the role of superintendent.

Interim acting principal definition