The fictive account of a school board's problems with a new policy illustrates the need to involve all affected groups in the policy-making process. The "Sleepy Hollow Board of Education" early in the school year adopts a policy discontinuing social promotions of academically unqualified students. After a year of pressure and protest from teachers, parents, and students, the board is forced to rescind its policy. The cause of the board's failure lies not in the policy itself but in six mistakes made in the policy-formation process. First, the board acted too fast, adopting the policy at the same meeting at which it was proposed. Second, it made no administrative analysis of the policy and failed to gather input from teachers and administrators. Third, it supplied administrators with no detailed implementation plan. Fourth, it gave no opportunity for parent input and failed to create adequate public awareness. Fifth, the board provided no forum for public debate among the interested groups. Finally, it did not make a legal analysis of the proposed policy. (RW)