The training these principals receive is the same leadership training given to generals and CEOs. Organizers of this program say that makes sense because so many of these skills are useful whether you're in the boardroom or the classroom

When the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce began looking for ways to help improve education in Kentucky, they found the biggest impact they could make at schools was at the top.

"As we investigated all the ways, the best thing we could do was invest in principals, they are the leaders who are going to make a difference," said Chamber President Dave Adkisson.

"You're dealing with other principals, parents, board members, legislators. It is like a corporation," said Elaine Farris, Co-Chair of the Leadership Institute for School Principals and Superintendent of Clark County Schools.

With that in mind the Chamber set out to give principals across Kentucky the same leadership training many business leaders receive. They raised money from local businesses to sponsor each of the forty seven principals who were part of the pilot program. The training from the Center for Creative Leadership costs around $9,000 per person.

"When we went on our training the men in the suite next to us were five star generals and we discussed the issues we faced with them, so it validates what we do," said Jennifer Kendall, principal at Leestown Middle School in Lexington.

As the second year of the program begins the Leadership Institute for School Principals is looking for new participants and new sponsors. They hope to spread the training across all one hundred and twenty counties in the commonwealth.

Enrollment for the next round of this training opened February 1st. So far they have about fifty principals registered. They hope to grow that number to seventy-five and their long term goal is giving this training to one hundred principals each year.

To donate to the program, or if you're a principal interested in applying you can visit principalsleadky.com.