School organizations are in a constant state of change. One of the major changes that all schools encounter is adopting new curriculum. It is important to look at the role of the principal during the implementation of a new curriculum so that we can identify specific strategies that might be useful in other areas of school change. This study focuses on the role of the principal during the adoption of a new science curriculum, Promoting Science Among English Language Learners (P-SELL), within six elementary schools.

This multiple case study included teacher focus group interviews, principal interviews, and teacher and principal written surveys to identify specific roles and strategies that principals illustrated during implementation of P-SELL. The overarching themes uncovered included (a) distributive leadership, (b) clear communication, and (c) supportive conditions. These findings can be used to understand the process of change within an organization.