Western Kentucky University will share in a $47 million grant to improve training for principals. WKU is one of seven schools across the country selected by The Wallace Foundation to participate in the initiative.
Dr. Marguerita Desander, head of the Department of Educational Administration, Leadership, and Research at WKU, said good leadership is the foundation for student achievement.
"Every school is different. Every community is different," Desander told WKU Public Radio. "Having leaders who are adequately prepared for the things that are unique about communities is so important to ensure that our students get the best possible education they can."
Dr. Desander says many districts lack the capacity to train principals in how to take on challenges such as poverty, diversity, and curriculum.
During the four-year initiative, WKU will bring together all 11 principal preparation programs in Kentucky and help revise curriculum by examining the changing needs of schools and their leaders. WKU will also partner with the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative and the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board.
