Are schools asking too much of their IT leaders?

We all know the changing landscape of IT – and more importantly, the role of leaders in this space. But when did the role of an IT leader in a school become so much more than IT?

Cybersecurity. MIS. Data protection. Infrastructure. Digital transformation. AI. Safeguarding. Managing budgets. Supporting staff and pupils.

The list of responsibilities for school IT leaders seems to grow every year.

But incresingly more prevalent, are thew questions we hear from thought leaders every week.

Who is responsible for keeping school systems secure while also delivering digital transformation?

Who manages the MIS, oversees infrastructure, supports staff and pupils, introduces new technologies and ensures everything continues running smoothly?

And perhaps most importantly, are schools giving their IT leaders the people, resources and support they need to deliver all of this?

As technology becomes increasingly central to school life, these questions deserve closer attention.

The Role Has Changed, but Has the Support?

Not so long ago, school IT was largely focused on keeping systems running, fixing technical problems and making sure staff and pupils had the technology they needed.

Today, IT leaders are expected to contribute to whole-school strategy, manage cybersecurity risks, advise senior leadership teams, oversee budgets and help shape how technology supports teaching and learning.

Yet the everyday demands haven’t disappeared.

The printers still break, the Wi-Fi still needs to work, and someone still needs to deal with the helpdesk tickets!

The strategic responsibilities have grown, but the operational workload hasn’t necessarily reduced.

Are We Expecting One Person to Do Everything?

An IT Director might now be expected to understand networking, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, MIS, safeguarding, procurement, project management and digital learning.

On top of that, they’re managing teams, budgets, suppliers and relationships with senior leaders.

That’s a lot to ask of one person.

And while many school IT leaders are incredibly capable, should they really be expected to be experts in everything?

For smaller IT teams in particular, finding the time to focus on long-term strategy while keeping day-to-day operations running can be a real challenge.

Perhaps It’s Time to Rethink the Support Around Them

From our conversations at ESP, we’re seeing just how broad the expectations attached to school IT leadership roles have become.

Schools understandably want strategic thinkers who are also technically strong, commercially aware and confident managing people.

But perhaps the answer isn’t always finding someone who can do everything.

Could additional technical support give IT leaders more time to focus on strategy? Would access to specialist cybersecurity expertise strengthen the department? Could investing in existing team members create more opportunities for development?

Sometimes, it’s not about recruiting a more experienced IT leader. It’s about making sure the right support is in place around them.

So, Are Schools Asking Too Much?

Perhaps it’s not a straightforward yes or no.

It’s encouraging to see IT leaders becoming more involved in shaping school strategy. But as their responsibilities grow, the resources available to them need to keep pace.

Otherwise, we risk having talented IT leaders spending so much time keeping everything running that they have little opportunity to focus on the bigger picture.

And isn’t that exactly what we need them to be doing?

We’d love to hear from school IT professionals and senior leaders.

Are schools expecting too much from their IT leaders, or is this simply how the role is evolving?