NAIS Senior Research Analyst
July 2025
Executive Summary
This report is based on data collected from a December 2024 NAIS Snapshot Survey on reporting structures, including organizational charts submitted by over 70 heads of school, and interviews conducted with 30 heads of schools.
Over a third of the heads (35%) had between six and eight direct reports. About 77% of these heads said that this number of direct reports felt sustainable. However, many heads had more direct reports. Nearly 17% of heads reported having more than 12 direct reports.
The most common roles to report to the head were the business officer or chief financial officer (95%), admissions or enrollment management officer (87%), executive assistant (80%), advancement officer (63%), division head (55%), and development officer (49%). About 81% of schools did not have an institutional researcher or a director of international students, and 79% did not have a director of global education. Nearly three-quarters (72%) did not have a director of students.
The most common org chart used by schools was the traditional one, a pyramid structure with the head of school and board at the top. About 75% of heads who submitted an org chart used some variation of this model. Nearly one out of 10 (8%) used a circle model developed by Independent School Management. Others, about 7%, used a web model. This model mirrored the spokes of a bicycle wheel, with the head at the center and roles radiating outward. Fewer, about 4%, developed their own org chart that did not fall into any of these categories.
Heads chose org charts on the basis of their school’s needs. Among schools going through changes, such as a capital campaign, enrollment growth, or administrative restructuring, the traditional model was favored because of its clarity and efficiency. Schools that had established leadership and experienced staff were able to be creative with their org charts. These heads used the org charts to communicate their school’s values and mission rather than only to show reporting relationships.
Reporting structures varied greatly by size, with smaller schools employing fewer staff and more often using org chart models other than the traditional format. Larger schools, with large staffs, tended to rely more on the traditional model to communicate expansive reporting structures.
Downloadable Content
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