A common theme in educational change literature is that principals do not truly understand the change process and therefore cannot successfully implement change. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the change processes that Colorado principals utilized when initiating and implementing change in their buildings. The study also examined whether the elements of the processes used matched the current change models reported in the literature. The research framework consisted of the following from change models: the concerns-based adoption model, the diffusion model, the reCreate model, and the Accelerated Schools model. A survey of 280 public high school principals in Colorado elicited a 65 percent response rate. Interviews were also conducted with three suburban, three urban, and three rural principals. The eight process elements that principals said they most frequently used did not match any of the change models in the research framework. Principals rated two items as the most important and the most likely to be used: "identify the problem" and "communicate the need for change to stakeholders." They reported that they rarely used research-supported strategies, pilot programs, and outside consultants. The results suggest a tenuous link between theory and practice due to principals' views of their responsibilities and the unique nature of their individual schools. Two tables are included. (Contains 30 references.) (LMI)