Even interviews are not always mandatory. Mike M. Milstein, a professor emeritus in the educational administration department at the University of New Mexico, who studied innovative principal-prep programs for the Danforth Foundation, believes that universities have too often missed an important boat by hoarding control of their programs. Now, though, principal shortages are pushing districts to do more to grow their own administrators. The 19,000-student Millard district in suburban Omaha, Neb., for instance, is paying tuition for a first round of courses toward principal certification. The courses are taught both by University of Nebraska at Omaha faculty members and by district administrators.
Local districts encourage promising principal candidates to apply.
In New York City's Community School District 2, known nationally for using teacher training to raise student achievement, leaders shopped for a university that would offer a complete principal-certification program tailored to the needs of the district. District 2 found a match in the school of public affairs of City University of New York's Baruch College. Professors from the school team-teach almost all the classes with administrators from the district, which pays the tuition for teachers interested in leading schools and helps support them through internships. The yearlong program is designed both to lure outstanding teachers into administration and to enhance collegial spirit in a district that already prides itself on that. Rhonda Perry wasn't aiming for the principalship when she was recruited for the launch of the program last year.