In our years working alongside the community, we’ve often heard school structures are confusing to navigate – it’s hard to know when to look to the superintendent for support and when to engage with members of the school board.
Metro Atlanta families, we know you are the strongest advocates for your children’s education. To help you understand the similarities and differences in these unique public school leadership roles, we created this quick and easy reference:
| The school board… | The superintendent… |
| Is elected by the community, which means you hold them accountable. | Is hired by the board, which means the board holds them accountable. |
| Listens to and represents the community in community meetings and other forums. | Resolves problems that arise and raises systemic or recurring issues to the board to resolve through new policies. |
| Creates district-wide policies, including adopting budgets, approving curriculum frameworks, and more. | Sets district-wide strategy in alignment with board-set priorities and policies. |
| Ensures the school system is meeting students’ and families’ needs. | Oversees district staff, including principals and teachers, holding them accountable for providing a high-quality education. |
| Collaborates with district leaders, especially when creating system-wide shifts. | Implements policy changes and strategy across the district, including ensuring staff have the resources and tools they need to be successful. |
By working together, school boards and superintendents can implement changes quickly and successfully – as a result, students receive the best education possible without having to wait for lengthy rollouts. And when the school board, superintendent, and community members work together and trust each other, schools function more smoothly, reflect local values, and create the conditions for students to succeed.