Administrative Staff

The size of the superintendent’s administrative staff is related to the size of the school district. If a district is large enough to have more than a superintendent, then additional administrative positions generally fall into the categories of business operations, curriculum matters, personnel and special education.

Almost all Oregon school districts have Web sites that list their student enrollments, number of school buildings and their locations as well as staff by name and position with contact information. [Access individual school district Web sites]

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Business Operations

A district deputy clerk or business manager can answer questions about the budget, revenue and expenditures, numbers of students, per pupil costs as well as provide historical data about the district.

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Curriculum

Some districts assign curriculum development and other related student services to an administrator other than the superintendent. This person can answer questions about school programs, test scores, enrollment (projections and history), textbooks and other topics related directly to classroom instruction.

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Personnel

A personnel director can respond to questions about negotiations and contracts, salaries and fringe benefit programs, personnel procedures and hiring practices and other topics related to employee groups.

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Special Education

Because of the record keeping and procedures involved in providing educational services to children with disabilities, many school districts have an administrator whose primary responsibilities are for special education programs and services. (See section on Special Education.)

This person can respond to questions about special education programs and services offered by the district, those offered by other agencies in the area, the numbers and ages of the children being served, the procedures used for determining eligibility for special programs and program costs.

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Public Information/Community Relations

In larger school districts, someone on the superintendent’s staff has specific responsibility for the district’s public information, community relations or public relations. This person can assist you in a variety of ways: providing background information; putting you in touch with the right person to talk with about a particular issue; getting the information you need when you need it; suggesting events, issues and other topics you may want to cover.

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