Outside participation in two elementary schools in a city undergoing ethnic change is analyzed. This outside group, known as the Facilitation Team, worked with teachers and parents to develop a more open and effective school. The experiences of the Team are described and the following conclusions are reported: (1) social forces tended to overwhelm efforts at innovation; (2) factions and interest groups influenced both the process and effect of innovation; (3) the work structure of the school and profession constrained teacher behavior; (4) the voluntaristic approach of the Team was ineffective against the traditional work structure; (5) it is difficult for innovation to succeed without active support at school and district levels; (6) most change occurred in the Team's ideas of how innovations are best introduced. (Author/WP)