Who Makes Decisions in Schools?

Schools don’t operate like businesses, and while most of us went to public schools, we were never really taught how their leadership structures work. So, it’s not always clear who to turn to when you want your voice heard. My goal with this blog is to make our education system more accessible to you, so this seemed like a great first topic. Let’s get into it.

We have four schools in our district. Here’s how decision-making flows:

• Principals: Run the day-to-day operations of their school. This includes managing staff, supporting students, handling parent concerns, and overseeing programs within their school.

• Superintendent: Serves as the district’s CEO. Principals report directly to the Superintendent, who manages the district as a whole, implements policy, and makes operational decisions. The superintendent may also become involved if parent concerns cannot be resolved at the school level.

• School Board: Elected community members who set the “big picture” direction of the district. The Board does not run schools day-to-day operations. It makes policy decisions, hires and evaluates the Superintendent, oversees the district budget, approves curricula, and ensures the district is meeting state standards. The Board also reviews and approves recommendations from district leadership around hiring, firing, and other personnel decisions. Board meetings also provide a space for community members to share input with district leadership.