An eight-year study of 49 schools purporting to practice and apply Quality Management (QM) techniques and processes uncovered some revealing differences between what respondents thought "should be" happening in these schools and what they reported was happening. The gaps uncovered could be recognized as differences between rhetoric and reality, or differences between stated desires and perceived practices. These differences are important in understanding the ability of school systems to introduce the kinds of changes many think are needed in order to respond to the public quest for accountability and program improvement. The differences were particularly wide on questions about the value of cooperation and collaboration among professionals within their schools, and on questions related to the importance of outside stakeholders in influencing school operations. (Contains 4 figures and 8 notes.)