The increasing number of English language learners in schools has motivated educators to seek more effective language and instructional programs to serve them. While the norm in American schools favors an English-only environment, there is a growing interest and support for the dual language approach to bilingual education. This qualitative study examined the experiences and perspectives of practicing principals in Texas elementary schools with dual language programs. Interviews with eight purposefully selected participants focused on factors that were experienced in the planning and implementation phase. The responses were aggregated to reveal recommendations for principals regarding initial program selection, planning and preparation activities, challenges to program implementation, challenges to program maintenance, and finally, the desirable leadership qualities to support a successful dual language implementation. Narrative techniques were utilized to discern recurring themes or strands of leadership behaviors that were presented as recommendations for practicing school leaders. The recurring themes were trust, perseverance, cultural competence and vision. [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.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]