A superintendent is an educational administrator who serves as the chief executive of a school district. They are responsible for creating and executing a shared vision for their district, which includes elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as other publicly funded education programs. The following are some of the key responsibilities of a superintendent:

• Establish and oversee organizational goals, policies, and procedures.
• Hire and supervise district office staff and principals.
• Work with the school board to implement a shared vision.
• Advocate for increased funding and manage the needs of the district within the confines of state allocations.
• Oversee personnel matters, including hiring staff and solving problems.
• Lobby for additional resources when needed.

Superintendents are transformational leaders who facilitate change to meet the challenges facing education today. They are responsible for propelling learning forward and crafting innovative and creative solutions to the complex issues facing educators today. The role of a superintendent carries a lot of responsibility and requires mastery of many skills. To become a successful school superintendent, one must have a proven record of educational leadership, excellent interpersonal skills, a knack for coalition building, and the tenacity to tackle complex problems. The career path to becoming a superintendent typically involves starting as a classroom teacher, earning a masters degree, serving as a department head or school principal, and completing a doctorate in school administration or educational leadership.