Superintendent of Schools Resume

Superintendents manage an entire district’s schools, ensuring each one runs as smoothly as possible while implementing the school board’s policies.

If you’re looking to change districts or apply for your first role as a superintendent of schools you’ll need to fine-tune your resume to impress board members.

Target your summary to the job’s priorities

You might already have a stellar list of accomplishments after years of experience in the education field, but you’ll still need to target your resume introduction to the job you’re applying for. Just as no two schools are alike, neither are districts.

Make sure your superintendent of schools’ resume summary highlights your most relevant work experience, skills, and achievements by tailoring it to the specific position you’re applying for.

In this example, the candidate demonstrates their 15 years of experience as a school superintendent by showcasing the management and organizational skills required for the job.

Highlight your superintendent experience

As someone applying for a high-level position in the education industry, you’ll need to show you have the necessary knowledge to perform your duties as a superintendent of schools.

On top of a high level of education, you’ll need numerous years of experience as a teacher, vice principal, and principal before moving up the education administration ladder.

If you’ve already held a previous position as a school superintendent, you’ll need to emphasize how you’ve improved a school district’s overall academic performance and standing in your resume’s work experience section.

If this is your first superintendent position, you’ll need to demonstrate strong leadership skills as well as the ability to train and manage staff to prove that you’re a skilled leader and mentor.

Here’s an example of how to demonstrate your leadership skills on your resume:

School superintendent leadership skills

• Managed the district’s needs within the confines of state allocations, advocated for increased funding, and received a 15 % increase in school funding
• Oversaw all personnel matters, served as the face of the school district, and made all major educational decisions

You’ll also have to show hiring managers you’re an experienced administrator, like in the example below:

School superintendent work experience

• Evaluated the bussing system and added 10 new busses needed in the fleet to meet the district’s transportation requirements
• Recorded a 25% decrease in excess costs by allocating allowances in the best manner necessary to achieve the district goals
• Conceptualize, develop, and implement 20+ educational policies for the district while serving as the representative for parents and students

Show off your superintendent skills

With several schools to manage, you’ll need to demonstrate vital hard skills like operations management, fiscal management, and curriculum development.

Other relevant hard skills to include on your school superintendent resume include:

Hard Skills

• Performance assessment
• Curriculum evaluation
• Budgeting
• Knowledge of educational technology
• Board meeting preparation
• Microsoft Office skills

Soft skills like communication skills and problem solving skills are also crucial if you want to secure a job as a superintendent of schools.

Other important soft skills to include on your resume are:

Soft Skills

• Leadership skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Organizational skills
• Communication skills
• Negotiation skills

Strengthen your superintendent of schools resume with certifications

While the minimum requirement to become a superintendent of schools is to hold an active teaching license, certain states have additional requirements when it comes to certifications and licenses for superintendents.

Check the guidelines in your state to make sure you have the right credentials to fill a superintendent of schools position.

Some common exams and preparation programs required to apply for a superintendent position include:

• School Superintendent Assessment
• School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA)
• Principal certificate or valid equivalent (varies by state)
• A TEA-approved superintendent certificate application or a principal certificate
• Superintendent educator preparation program