Role of School Superintendent
Since territorial days, public schools have been supported in a variety of ways by the office of the County School Superintendent. Established initially for support of the scattered and isolated rural schools, the office currently offers services to all school districts within its county jurisdiction, whether city, town, or isolated rural area.
As school districts grew because of increased migration to Arizona and concerted attempts to offer educational services to all children, so have the duties and responsibilities of the County School Superintendent grown.
Historically, the County School Superintendent has been a fiscal check and balance for the financial governance of local school districts. While local governing boards remain autonomous in their right to present a budget and expend monies, certain interactions with the County School Superintendent are mandated for the purpose of presenting a conduit for processing vouchers, filing federal and state reports, setting local tax rates, and providing certain educational services.
As Arizona’s population continues to grow and special needs populations are more specifically identified, the duties of the county school office have multiplied accordingly. Changes in school structures such as Charter Schools and changes in the number and younger ages of students needing specialized services such as alternative school settings have redefined the purposes of the County School Superintendent.
School districts being faced with increasing federal and state mandates for special instructional programs and services have formed stronger alliances with neighboring districts and the county school office to help them adequately provide these new services. Several county school offices provide professional staff consultant services which primarily work directly with school districts in such areas as forming and
administering consortia activities, conducting staff development in services, in curriculum and instruction, writing grants, and facilitating the collaboration and cooperation with county and state agencies.
Today, the County School Superintendent’s office is in transition in its responsibilities for helping each county’s school districts meet their particular needs. It can do no less than be a proactive supportive service agency in public education’s charge to provide increasing programs and services for Arizona’s most important resource – our children.
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