Assistant principals, also known as deputy principals, are responsible for aiding a school’s principal in their tasks. An assistant principal is responsible for several tasks, like ordering supplies for the school and maintaining their distribution, observing students’ behavior and progress and assessing potential problems with them, as well as acting as a supervisor to the teachers and other staff. Though an assistant principal’s functions are more or less equal to those of the principal himself, their powers tend to be somewhat more limited.
Many assistant principals come from a teaching background – it’s common for teachers to apply for the position as a stepping stone to becoming a principal. A teacher working as an assistant principal usually does not teach actual classes, though exceptions can be made when necessities arise. An assistant principal needs to have good verbal communication skills, more than teachers themselves, as they often need to talk to students and teachers directly to evaluate their problems and conditions. Assistant principals may sometimes come from a non-teaching background, but in those cases they need to show a strong understanding of the educational system to be accepted.
Assistant principals are usually well-compensated. Their salaries can range between $66,000 – $89,000 per year, with the most deciding factors being level of experience and the particular school of employment. An assistant principal working for a prestigious institution can easily earn substantially more than their counterparts in regular schools.