The Urban High School Reform Initiative was a Federal effort designed to review the educational and related needs of large city high school students, explore the Federal role in urban secondary education, and develop recommendations for a more effective Federal response to the continuing needs of these students and schools. This report contains the substance of the Initiative's work and includes data highlighting the particular needs and problems of students in large city secondary schools. Pilot outreach programs designed to test the feasibility of diversifying Federal efforts on behalf of these schools are briefly described. Five themes for the reform of urban secondary schools, including shared decision making, diverse learning environments, school-community development, school finance and red tape, and research and dissemination, are outlined. Recommendations are offered for consideration by the new Department of Education in order that its organization may be more responsive to urban needs. A bibliography is appended to the report. (Author/GC)