They are primarily responsible for scheduling student classes, ordering textbooks and supplies, and coordinating transportation, custodial, cafeteria, and other support services.
They usually handle student discipline and attendance problems, social and recreational programs, and health and safety matters.
With the advent of site-based management, assistant principals are playing a greater role in ensuring the academic success of students by helping to develop new curricula, evaluating teachers, and dealing with school-community relations—responsibilities previously assumed solely by the principal.
In most schools, the vice principal forgoes all teaching duties in order to address broader educational issues.
Furthermore, principals/head teachers/headmasters/headmistresses are beginning to have more autonomy on how they will structure their school's senior leadership team and what each member's role will be.