As in many other countries around the globe, the Dominican Republic (DR) has recently implemented important educational changes. The curriculum changed from a content-based to a competence-based approach, and grade configurations changed from four-year to three-year cycles, moving seventh and eighth grades out of elementary and into high school. These changes impacted public and private school structures, with implications on principals' leadership role. While there is much previous research on principals as instructional leaders implementing significant change; prior to this study, no research was found that looked at private school principals in such roles within a developing country like the DR. This qualitative study, therefore involved semi-structured interviews with 12 private school principals in the DR. Information gathered was analyzed through the lens of a research-based principal performance assessment framework developed in the U.S. by two researchers from Western Michigan University (Reeves & McNeill, 2017). This framework helped identify specific aspects of empirical practices these principals experienced and/or developed as they adapted to the reforms. The analysis revealed 12 major themes and 12 minor themes. Principals shared they needed PD on leadership, they needed guidance, follow-up and feedback, as well as financial support, and other support from MINERD to better adapt to and implement the changes in their schools. They articulated what certain research-based leadership practices meant to them and how they considered those practices fit their current role as educational leaders. After the data was analyzed, a DR leadership profile was created that responds to the recent DR reforms, including a list of important hard and soft skills research-based leadership practices important for principals within the DR. One major recommendation is for DR leaders with political power is to grant access for all private school principals to the country's School for Principals for Quality Education (its acronym in Spanish is EDCE) funded by MINERD. In addition, this schools' training program could be enriched by including the hard and soft skills practices concluded from this study. Overall, from this study, private school principals' voices were captured and hoped to be heard from those in power. Such principals need training and support to help implement all future educational reforms, which is especially important given that from a total of 2,587,965 students in this country, 559,691 were students in private schools (MINERD, 2023). According to Population Today, in 2024, this part of the island has a total population of 11,441,129 with an annual increase of 0,873% (Population Today, 2024). [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.]