The relationship between research and educational policy in the areas of school system decentralization and community control is analyzed in this dissertation. The literature on decentraliztion and community control is reviewed. It is contended that existing empirical research on these subjects has not systematically tested the assumptions underlying policy rationale. The data base in the social sciences and the applied fields of educational research and evaluation of social action programs is examined. The extent to which the accumulated data in these disciplines permit the testing of assumptions underlying the research on policy rationale of participatory strategies is considered. Problems which arise while attempting to evaluate decentralization and community control are mentioned. These include the definition of concepts, the limitations of data gathered for assessing the validity of policy assumptions about what might be true under a different set of conditions, and other methodological problems. The effects of decentralization/community control strategies on academic achievement, parent and student attitudes, and school responsiveness are also explored. Factors which, from the available data, appear to stimulate parent participation in the schools are discussed to illustrate effective participatory strategies. (Author/AM)