Kepala Sekolah Sebagai Manager Dalam Mempertahankan Mutu Akademik SD Muhammadiyah Program Khusus Kotta Barat Surakarta

This study aims to describe: 1) The role of the principal as a manager in maintaining the academic quality of the SD Muhammadiyah Program Khusus Kotta Barat Surakarta; 2) Obstacles in maintaining the academic quality of the SD Muhammadiyah Program Khusus Kotta Barat Surakarta; 3) The solution to the obstacles in maintaining the academic quality of the SD Muhammadiyah Program Khusus Kotta Barat Surakarta. This type of research is descriptive qualitative research. Data collection techniques were obtained through observation, interviews, and documentation. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. The validity of the data is done by trialing techniques and sources. The results showed that the principal as a manager in maintaining academic quality had roles including planning, organizing, personnel arrangement, direction, and supervision. Principals are able to provide satisfaction with good services in the form of input, process, outcomes, and their impact on schools in maintaining their academic quality and can increase public confidence making superior schools that are in great demand because of the image of school quality. Obstacles in maintaining academic quality namely human resources include differences in perceptions between class teachers and the lack of student motivation in learning. The solution in overcoming obstacles in maintaining academic quality separately for teachers is by providing motivation, always conducting reflection activities (meetings) where in these activities class teachers and principals share about school development and always evaluating so that teachers return to their nature as teachers. For students, that is by always providing fun learning, as well as providing positive input for students in the form of sentences that build student enthusiasm in learning, as well as giving appreciation to students