A qualitative study was conducted to understand better how school principals respond in an environment of school choice and how this reform movement impacts their role as leaders. The principal is considered one of the most influential people in the development of the quality and character of a school. Reform policies have added to the traditional role that principals previously held. Principals in schools of choice are now charged with marketing their schools to appeal to students and be more receptive to the desires of families and maintain student enrollment. This study had five elementary school principals from three school districts working in a traditional public school in one of North Carolina's Piedmont and Intercoastal Plain school districts. The participants ranged in years of principal experience from two to eleven years, and all have had at least one year of leading in the era of school choice. The four common themes that emerged from the findings were (a) school image management, (b) marketing efforts, (c) partnerships with families and the community, and (d) scared leadership. Findings from the study indicate that as school choice becomes more competitive, school leaders are shifting their focus to managerial aspects of the school and engaging the community through marketing and branding practices. The amount of pressure placed on school leaders and choice options has changed the leader's role within the building. Marketing and recruiting for students are no longer optional tasks for survival reasons. [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://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]