In 1988 there were 103 schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and 65 schools operated by Indian tribes under contract with the BIA. Typically, these schools are in a rural, poor, and reservation setting, with students at high risk for dropping out. This paper examines the duties, roles, and leadership styles of administrators at BIA and contract secondary schools. A descriptive questionnaire and the Leadership Practices Inventory were completed by 24 administrators, of whom 9 were Native Americans. Subjects were 80% male, had an average age of 40-45, had been in administration for an average of 11.7 years, and had taught for an average of 7 years before becoming an administrator. Compared to non-Indians, Indian administrators had less teaching and administrative experience, were more likely to be female or to hold a doctorate, and were more likely to have weekly faculty meetings. Although 57% of subjects viewed instructional leadership as their first priority, the average administrator spent 73% of the time on general managerial duties and discipline. Non-Indian and Indian administrators did not differ in this respect. With regard to leadership styles, both Indians and non-Indians scored in the high category for "inspiring" and "modeling," and in the moderate category for "enabling" and "encouraging." For the "challenging" style, Indians scored in the high category and non-Indians scored in the low category, indicating that Indian administrators were more willing to take risks. (SV)