Superintendent (education)
In the
The role and powers of the superintendent vary among areas. According to Sharp and Walter, a popularly held opinion is that "the most important role of the board of education is to hire its superintendent."[1]
History
The first education laws in the United States were enacted in the
In early America, school board members handled the day-to-day administration of schools without the need for a superintendent. By the 1830s, however, the increasing numbers of students, as well as the consolidation of
A major event in the history of education in the United States was the "Kalamazoo school case" (Stuart v. School District No. 1 of the Village of Kalamazoo).[4] In 1858, Kalamazoo, Michigan established its first high school, and the following year, the Michigan Legislature enacted legislature authorizing the election of school districts and the establishment of high schools funded by local taxes.[5] In January 1873, three Kalamazoo property owners filed a lawsuit challenging the law.[5] In a unanimous decision of the Michigan Supreme Court in 1874 written by the prominent Justice Thomas M. Cooley, the law was upheld.[5] This decision led to a dramatic increase in the number of high schools operating both in Michigan and other states, which led to an increase in the number of superintendents.[4][5]
Early superintendents tended to focus on instruction, with "overall fiscal affairs, school building construction, and maintenance" remaining under school district control, becoming normal responsibilities of superintendents only in the early twentieth century.
In 1911, the idea of the superintendent as a separate professional emerged.
See also
- CEO of public schools
- Chancellor (education)
- Dean (education)
- National Association of School Superintendents
- Provost (education)
- Schoolmaster
- State education agency
- Vice-principal
References
Footnotes
- ^ Sharp & Walter 2004, p. 1.
- ^ Sharp & Walter 2004, p. 2.
- ^ a b Sharp & Walter 2004, pp. 2–3.
- ^ a b c d e Sharp & Walter 2004, p. 3.
- ^ a b c d Timmerman, Elizabeth (2012). "The Kalamazoo School Case: Supporting High School Education". Kalamazoo, Michigan: Kalamazoo Public Library. Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
- ^ Sharp & Walter 2004, pp. 3–4.
- ^ a b c d e f Sharp & Walter 2004, p. 4.
- ^ a b Sharp & Walter 2004, p. 5.
- ^ Sharp & Walter 2004, pp. 4–5.
Bibliography
- Sharp, William L.; Walter, James K. (2004). The School Superintendent: The Profession and the Person (2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Education. Retrieved June 6, 2015.