The progress of the Staff Development for School Improvement (SDSI) program, developed by Eastern Michigan University, is reviewed and evaluated in this monograph. The primary emphasis of SDSI is to improve the quality of schooling through shared decision making at the school building level. Ownership of the change process by those participating is considered essential and as a natural by-product of shared decision making. This report provides a narrative section giving background information on decision making at SDSI, the role of university and schools participants, and observations and recommendations. This review section is followed by appendices including supporting documents: (1) an overview of the six-step process for staff development; (2) the staff development plan set up for a school district; (3) lists of basic program assumptions; (4) the 1982 year-end report of SDSI project schools; (5) university facilitator role and requirements; (6) summary report of a participating principals' meeting; (7) charts of the preliminary steps and the six-step model; (8) the evaluation rationale of staff development programs; and (9) an essay on the role of qualitative methods in evaluation. (JD)