The myriad of educational reforms directed toward increased quality will drastically change the responsibilities of school principals. To make a consequential contribution to improving the effectiveness of public school education in Kentucky by preparing more effective leaders for administrative positions, a new principal preparation program at Western Kentucky University was developed. The program, designed to encompass the tenets of national reform and to accommodate the state-mandated educational requirements, allows prospective administrators to decide among the three certification levels (early elementary, middle school, and secondary). Additionally, students may select from the following specializations: supervisor of instruction, director of pupil personnel, school business manager, or school superintendent. The primary ingredients of the program include a generic study of administration, a study of the technical aspects of educational administration, a knowledge and application of research findings, the opportunity for supervised practice, and finally, the demonstration of competence. A skill matrix that graphically illustrates the components of the program and their relationship to each other is included. (18 references) (KM)