Educational Leadership: What Does an Administrator Do?

General Information

Iowa Standards for School Leaders

Sample job descriptions

- superintendent

- principal

Administrative endorsement requirements

Administrator licensure through the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners

Administrator preparation programs based in Iowa:

- Drake University

- Iowa Principal Leadership Academy

- Iowa State University

- University of Iowa

- University of Northern Iowa

Administrative Positions

Experience and education requirements can vary by district. Responsibilities are listed for each level of administration to provide an overview of what administrators do, but are by no means all-inclusive of the job's demands. 

• Elementary Principal
• Middle Level/Junior High Principal
• High School Principal
• Central Office Administrator
• Superintendent

Additional Resources

• Balanced Leadership: What 30 years of research tells us about the effect of leadership on student achievement
• How Leadership Influences Student Learning
• Making Sense of Leading Schools: A Study of the School Principalship
  
• Rolling Up Their Sleeves: Superintendents and Principals Talk About What's Needed to Fix Public Schools