Social, economic, political, and commercial forces are driving the current school transformation agenda; as a result, principals are under direct pressures to improve schools. Principals are expected to be the instructional leaders, to address unending mandates, and to produce immediate improvements in student achievement. Federal initiatives and corresponding state mandates have provided continuous pressures on the public schools to improve. This article provides discussion and examples of the Kotter eight-step model for organizational change as applied to public schools.