Tristate school districts have turned to an array of initiatives to address the shortage of qualified principal applicants. Among them:

        • Campbell County Schools created two associate principal positions at a total cost of $120,000. They will oversee attendance, custodial work, transportation, supervision of personnel, recruiting and student discipline.

        • Cincinnati Public Schools created a two-year, $638,000 program to train new principals. Five existing principals become “coaches” who run their own schools and support 12 to 15 other principals. The coaches get a $7,500 stipend. Also, five teachers and assistant principals become intern principals, undergoing a year's training. The school board also approved $500,000 for principals' pay increases.

        • Hamilton City Schools is considering partnering with Miami University after its successful two-year leadership development courses put 14 teachers through a master's degree program that also resulted in state principal certification. So far, one participant became principal at Van Buren Elementary, one became coordinator of Hamilton Alternative School and two have been hired as assistant principals, at Hamilton High School and Wilson Junior High. The district, teachers and university split the cost.

        • Little Miami Schools has a year-old in-house monthly training initiative converting teachers into administrators. Last year 12 teachers learned about budgeting, student and staff development, transportation, food service and bond issues. One became assistant principal at Little Miami Junior High; another became a principal outside the district.

        • Milford Exempted Village Schools created an administrator intern program for teachers seeking principal certification. Interns are similar to assistant principals, except they don't evaluate professional staff. They get $5,000 more than their salary as teachers and work 38 extra days.

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