This report presents a data-collection plan for addressing these questions: (1) What were the New American Schools (NAS) like before they implemented their restructuring design efforts? (2) How have these evolved over time? (3) Are the critical components of the NAS designs being implemented across a wide array of schools? (4) Do the NAS designs extend beyond changes in school organization and governance, and permeate classrooms to change curriculum and instruction? and (5) What is the progress of the schools being assisted by NAS design teams in improving student and school performance? The report takes the findings from the first question and relies on data from partnering school districts and retrospective accounts provided by principals. NAS design teams partnered with schools that had many academic and social challenges, and the researchers compared these schools' climates with a national sample. The 1994-95 school year (the year before designs began assisting schools in their restructuring efforts) baseline data reveal that NAS schools were performing at or below the district average on mandated tests. NAS principals reported greater problems related to diverse student populations--poverty, difficulties with the English language, racial-ethnic tension, lack of school readiness, student and teacher absenteeism, verbal abuse, and disrespect of teachers--than did principals in the national sample. Future RAND reports will document the effect of the NAS designs on students' educational opportunities and performances. (DFR)