Within the past decade, the British government imposed a national curriculum, embraced open enrollment, and shifted decision-making authority away from the district offices to the schools themselves. This report describes England's scheme of local management and gauges its impact on various aspects of the education service. It also examines grant-maintained schools and city technology colleges. Data were obtained through observations and interviews conducted at school sites. Following the foreword by Ernest L. Boyer, chapters 1 through 3 focus on three key topics--standards, school autonomy, and school choice. The fourth chapter summarizes the findings, which include: (1) Statehouses and school boards seeking to raise curriculum standards must seek the advice and willing participation of teachers and parents; (2) a carefully crafted curriculum framework can help, rather than hinder, teachers; (3) new assessment techniques must be clearly stated, piloted, well funded, and supported by education's various constituents; (4) local management and financial delegation offer schools the flexibility to tailor resources to particular needs; (5) self-governing schools run the risk of threatening a planned and integrated system of education dedicated to equal access; (6) the quest for greater autonomy within schools must not jeopardize accountability to democratically elected institutions; (7) there are limits to parental choice; (8) per-capita funding and a competitive market force schools to become rivals striving to gain an advantage; and (9) change should be implemented for educational advantage, not political expediency. A list of schools participating in the site visits, endnotes, and an index are included. (LMI)