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What is a school director and how to become one
A school director oversees educational programs to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. He/She works with educational committees and advisory groups in the community to develop the appropriate curricula and programs to meet the needs of the students. He/She provides training in the use of educational materials and techniques. Also, he/she monitors the progress of new and existing teaching methods and supervises all faculty recruitment and vet prospective teachers.
To become a school director, you need a master's degree in education administration or a related field. Also, you'll need a teaching certification and previous teaching experience. The requirements for a license vary by state. You'll need leadership, communication, and people skills. You can work in a school, school district, or non-school settings, such as museums, businesses, and non-profit organizations. School directors make an average gross salary of $64,266 or $30.9 per hour. This falls between $43,000 and $95,000.
What general advice would you give to a school director?
Hamlet Hernandez
Assistant Teaching Professor of Education, Website
to be adroit at understanding their appropriate application, but more importantly, leaders will need to be skilfull
at cultivating meaningful relationships which are rooted in principle and not in transaction. This is, and will
continue to be, of monumental importance. The ability to communicate effectively and to understand the
speed and method of communication to different stakeholders, will and should vary. How this skill is developed
will be consequential. I envision rich content being omnipresent and new pedagological practices manifesting,
as we learn more about how humans learn. The art of teaching will evolve as we embrace new technologies
and foster enduring relationships, thereby opening pathways to greater cognition.
Avg. Salary $68,563
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 5%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%
Asian 4.27%
Black or African American 11.50%
Hispanic or Latino 13.73%
Unknown 3.98%
White 65.83%
Genderfemale 63.62%
male 36.38%
Age - 47American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 47Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
School director career paths
Key steps to become a school director
Explore school director education requirements
Start to develop specific school director skills
Skills Percentages Professional Development 15.16% K-12 7.34% Curriculum Development 6.02% Social Work 5.55% Kids 4.64% Complete relevant school director training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New school directors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a school director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real school director resumes.Research school director duties and responsibilities
- Lead project management team in development/execution of conferences and enduring CME -accredite programs.
- Improve student performance on district and statewide achievement tests in language arts literacy, mathematics, and science.
- Launch several new programs: pre-K, physical education, drama, and reading.
- Plan, organize, and administer a school for home teach students in grades kindergarten through high school.
Get school director experience
Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a school director. The most common roles before becoming a school director include teacher, director team lead and principal.Prepare your school director resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your school director resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a school director resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable school director resume templates
Build a professional school director resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your school director resume.
Apply for school director jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a school director job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first school director job
Are you a school director?
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Average school director salary
The average school director salary in the United States is $68,563 per year or $33 per hour. School director salaries range between $46,000 and $100,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do school directors rate their job?
School director reviews
Working with children, teachers and parents. Developing programs to suit a child's needs and interests, mmoments in learning and understanding.
Pressure from parents, pressure from the board, stressful and time demanding obstacles. The fact that people treat you so utterly poorly once you become a Principal.
Updated January 8, 2025
