This program tells two stories, painting a dramatic portrait of the challenges facing America's public schools and of the great difference a dedicated principal can make. Tresa Dunbar is a second-year principal at Chicago's Nash Elementary, where 98% of students come from low- income families; in Springfield, Illinois, Kerry Purcell has led Harvard Park Elementary, with similar demographics, for six years. The producers followed both women over the course of a school year, discovering each one's unique style yet similar passions. "The Principal Story" takes viewers along for an emotional ride that reveals what effective educational leadership looks like in the 21st century.