STRUCTURAL 2
School Structure
The organization of a school system and the authority each entity has plays an important
part in making sure that things run effectively and efficiently. According to Bolman and Deal
(2021), the framework for achieving an organization's strategic goals is provided by structure. It
serves as a guide for interactions and expectations between internal stakeholders (managers,
executives, and staff) and external stakeholders (clients, competitors, customers, and regulators).
The hierarchy involves how different stakeholders, which include the school board,
superintendent, administrators, teachers, and any other staff divide up the responsibility,
decisions, and power. Understanding how the organization is run is important for how the school
district and school perform and collaborate with each other.
Chain of Command
School principals are at the top of the hierarchy. They manage the leadership within the
school building, ensuring that what the school board and Superintendent have requested is
implemented within the school. Assistant principals support the needs of the principal as well as
overseeing their own duties. These include Special Education, discipline, and professional
development. Department chairs are next in line. Their responsibilities include making sure their
department has all the tools it needs to implement strategies, mentoring and aiding any needs of
the grade level. School principals and department heads oversee their schools' everyday
responsibility and running.
Authority
School principals and Lead Teachers both have Collegial authority. Under this authority,
Principals lead their schools and create a safe place mentally for students and staff while
providing safe collaborative communities within the school. Lead Teachers guarantee that their
STRUCTURAL 3
teams are up to date on the day-to- day expectations and that what they are doing is best for the
students and their learning experience. Other individuals that have authority in the school are the
School Nurse, Lead Custordian, and Cafeteria Manager.
Span of Control
The number of people managed in an organization is called the span of control. The
school system's span of control starts with the School Board, which oversees the superintendent.
Under the Superintendent are individuals with titles of executives and chief, from four to seven
individuals under him. Principals manage from 30 to 80 in the schools, depending on the size of
the school. These individuals include the Assistant Principal, teachers, nurses, office staff, and
other support staff. Lastly, Lead Teachers manage their grade levels, ranging from three to four
teachers. When thinking of the Span of Control it must be understood that the more people there
are und the span of who being managed, the harder it is to build strong work relationships.
According to Jensen, Hansen, Pedersen, and Andersen (2023), It may be challenging to exercise
ethical leadership if the span of authority (number of employees per manager) is too large
because the manager and employees will have a more strained relationship.
Departmentalization Structures
Whitney Elementary is departmentalized in three diverse ways. The first way is by grade
level from Pre-K to fifth grade. Each grade has a grade level chair who supports their grade level
in areas of lesson planning, data collection, and mentoring if necessary. There is also a Special
Education Chair. The responsibility of the Specia Education chair is to mentor new special
education teachers, facilitate quarterly meetings, review upcoming IEP and Re-evaluations.
Resource classes are another example of departmentalization. These classes include music,
media center, art, and physical education. Support staff such as custodians, office staff, guidance
STRUCTURAL 4
counselors, and the school nurse all have their own departments with their specific rules and
regulations.
Decision Making
One may think that the principal only makes decisions in elementary school. However,
that is not true. The principal is the primary decision-maker. They ensure that the school is
managed and that policies are being practiced according to the district’s request. The Assistant
Principal decides the Special Education program, discipline, and truancy. Other individuals who
make decisions are the School Nurse when medical needs are involved, the Custodian for the
coordination of the building, and the Cafeteria Manager for the nutrition needs of the school.
Centralized and Decentralized Continuum
When working under a Centralized Continuum, elementary schools ensure they are
implementing what the district wants; for example, when the district has bought a specific
reading program, the elementary school will make sure that their school is implementing it. In a
decentralized structure, schools have more power to make decisions. The principals have the
power to make decisions. However, they may give power to others in the building, such as
teachers and staff. Under this structure, policy can be made to fit the school's particular needs.
An example of this would be the mandatory reading program; however, the school has made the
decision to use the program in a manner that best fits them.
Staff and Line Distinctions
According to McDonnell (2024), "Line positions and staff positions are integral to the
effective functioning of an organization" (para. 4). In the elementary school Line position are
positions that work directly with education and how it relates to the building and the students.
Teachers have a line position. They oversee making sure students are learning, managing their
STRUCTURAL 5
classroom and assessing students according to the guidelines that have been put in place. The
principal and assistant principal would also be considered a line position because they are the
overseers of the entire school, managing what goes on in their building. Staff positions are
individuals that play a role in supporting line positions. They include school counselors, who
support by helping students when they are having difficulty in school. Technology Specialist
manages the day-to-day technology concerns such as internet usage, computer testing, and at
Whitney the morning announcement. Special education teachers are also staff position. They
provide special education services to students with disabilities. Make sure students receive the
accommodation and modifications they need to gain access to the General Curriculum. Although
the distinctions are clear both staff and line positions work together closely to make sure students
are receiving the best possible education.
STRUCTURAL 6
References
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership.
John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. ProQuest Ebook Central.
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=6715211
Jensen, D. C., Hansen, A.-K. L., Pedersen, L. D., & Andersen, L. B. (2023). Span of control and
ethical leadership in highly professionalized public organizations. Public Personnel
Management, 52(2), 191-217. https://doi.org/10.1177/00910260221140398
McDonnell, S. (2024, November 20). Line position vs. staff position. Bizfluent. Retrieved from
https://bizfluent.com/info-12075450-line-position-vs-staff-position.html
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
