The noise in generating an agreed upon definition of instructional leadership that extends beyond theory to the practice of principals has been almost deafening in the last few decades. Many emphasize the need for the role of the principal to adapt to meet the demands of leadership that maximizes student achievement, but lack the specificity to support principals in transferring touted theories into practice. As the Common Core Standards were adopted by many states, they pressed for shifts from previous practices and resulted in an increased need for leadership during significant instructional changes. This case study sought to understand the role of an elementary principal as an instructional leader during the adoption of a new literacy program intended to meet the new standards. The perception of the role as observed by the teachers and the principal of the school were considered in relationship to how the principal promoted high literacy expectations, teacher-to-teacher interactions, and supported the teachers in their classroom instruction. The findings underscore the need for leadership during instructional change to be differentiated, communicate a clear mission, relay the big picture, and to find a balance between managerial and instructional leadership tasks; all of which satisfies the specific context of the school. Such complexities accentuate the difficulties in transferring the theory of instructional leadership to practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]