The aims of the study are to explore why schools declined strategic management to improve educational administration quality satisfaction, and to recognize how schools practiced strategic management. A qualitative method with a case study design was applied, along with observation, interviews, and documentation. The samples were three prominent State Senior High Schools in the province-Indonesia. A Creswell model utilized a qualitative descriptive analysis of data along with the application of Atlas.ti-9.1 applied. The findings are; Strategic management is underutilized because they perform either ordinary management or disregard service excellence in academic administration. Lack of human capital hampers the application of strategic management, such as specialists, academic administration, public service science, and a low level of administrative service quality. It also identifies barriers and deficiencies in the size of personnel service, communication facilities, and other supports. The conclusion seemed that strategic management is the management and coordination of a strategic school effort in creating adjustments and reforming the organization toward excellence and standard quality. The implication is that schools should compete with others in administrative services, such as technical skill, conceptual ability, and availability of infrastructure facilities, the competency or professionalism of service people.