Characteristics and duties of the secondary school assistant principal in Indiana

The specific purposes of this study were (1) to develop a profile of the Indiana secondary school assistant principal and, (2) to test two hypotheses relative to the duties of the assistant principal.As a result of a review of the research and literature related to the assistant principalship and consultation with professional educators, a questionnaire was developed which included twenty-five items to gather demographic data and seventy-nine duties in the areas of school administration and management, curriculum and instruction, pupil personnel, and staff personnel. The research instrument also included a section for rank order of importance of duties and a percentage of time spent in each of the four areas incorporating the seventy-nine duties.The data derived from the questionnaire were analyzed to determine (1) demographic data pertaining to the position (2) duties for which the assistant principals have full responsibility (3) duties for which assistant principals have shared responsibility (4) duties for which assistant principals have no responsibility (5) duties which assistant principals believe that they should be involved in (6) duties assistant principals feel they should not be involved in (7) the rank-order ofimportance of the duties as perceived by the assistant principals, and (8) the percentage of working time spent by the assistant principals in the areas of school administration, and management, curriculum and instruction, pupil personnel, and staff personnel.The analyzed data indicated the following:l. There are few duties for which assistant principals have full responsibility. 2. Assistant principals have shared responsibility in practically all duties involved in the operation of the school.3. In general, the assistant principals are in agreement with the assignment of duties and feel that they should be involved in the performance of the majority of the duties.4. The five duties that the assistant principals are involved in performing and consider the most important are pupil attendance, running the school in absence of the principal, preparation of the master schedule, direction of the athletic program, and pupil discipline.5. The majority of assistant principal's working time is spent in the areas of pupil personnel, and administration and management.6. There is practically no correlation between the duties in which the assistant principal is involved and the size of the population of the school.7. There is practically no correlation between the duties in which the assistant principal is involved and the type of school (Rural, Small City, Suburban, Urban).8. In general, the assistant principalship is being filled by a young, married, family man with at least a Master's degree. His first entry into the field of administration came early in his career. He has been an assistant principal a short time and was a classroom teacher immediately before moving to the present position. The persons interested in a new position are interested in becoming a high school principal.Thesis (D. Ed.