The continuing perceived complexity of educational systems and the current status of organizational and administrative theory suggest a renewed theory-building effort in the field of educational administration. It is in this sense that this paper presents a heuristic paradigm for the study of educational administration in the Americas, a multidimensional paradigm of educational administration. The paradigm is founded upon knowledge developed over time in the field of educational administration and upon the evaluation of present demands and future needs of educational administration in the Americas. The paper is based upon the thesis that educational administration is a professional field of study and upon the need to conceive a theory of professional practice in educational administration. The cultural context of administrative acts and knowledge is the key criterion that governs the central concern of this paper. (Author)