Programming for students is a primary task of building principals that has increased in intricacy as the role of accountability in education has evolved. Despite this, little research exists which examines how principals program for students in light of social, community, and policy influences. Research which reflects upon the lived experiences of rural building principals is greatly lacking. Using the lens of contingency theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the external influences that affected how rural elementary principals programmed for students. The findings suggested that rural elementary school principals considered accountability pressures and funding concerns to influence their ability to program for students. In addition, rural principals shared that the over-extension of their teachers was also concerning. Rural schools are unique. Considering how rural principals interpret policy in light of various external and internal influences should be a focus of future research.