Aspiring Principals Program

HomeApplication • Program Information • Cohort 1

Principals and other executive leaders are uniquely positioned to transform the schools and communities they serve. To accomplish this, incoming executives must enter the role at full speed, ready to address the never-ending menu of priorities assigned to the position. KASA is pleased to offer its members a highly exclusive experience designed to build confidence and capacity to thrive as leader of the school they serve.

This will not be your typical leadership development program. KASA believes its members already possess many of the technical and interpersonal skills that have helped them to achieve their current role. Instead, this program will focus on cultivating an expansive, agile leadership mindset with the capacity to embrace innovation, build coalitions, and achieve sustainable change. This is transformative leadership.

The Aspiring Principals Program is a research-based initiative designed to prepare new and aspiring principals. It includes:

  • Six full-day, in-person sessions focused on foundational leadership support.

  • Alignment with the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) to ensure best practices.

  • Key focus areas, including:

    • Leadership standards and PGPEs

    • Functions of the principalship

    • Certified evaluation

    • Preparing to work with faculty, staff, the district, and the community.

A maximum of 30 members will be accepted into the first KELA aspiring principal cohort for 2024-2025.

Application window: Window is now closed.

Program length: 9 months - Program will run September through March 2025. Meetings will be face-to-face (with the opportunity to meet at districts across the state).

Cost: $1,999.00 - 6 full training days at KASA trainings center

Application Requirements:
• Must be a KASA Member to participate. May join KASA at registration
• A $250.00 deposit will trigger application process

For complete information, contact Kathy Fields.
Successful Completers of the Aspiring Principal Program:

  1. Will have experienced the most immediately applicable, reality based, experience rich preparation program available to Kentucky educators seeking to ascend to the role of principal
  2. Will receive the KASA Executive Leadership Academy Certificate of Leadership Readiness and publicly recognized at the July 2025 KASA Annual Leadership Institute
  3. Will have achievement reported to school district with a request for public recognition at an upcoming school board meeting
  4. Will have achievement reported by press-release on KASA Daily and forwarded to the local print and online news service in his/her area
  5. Will be provided official language for addition to the professional resume