In the past decade, schools nationwide have been caught up in a whirlwind of change. No Child Left Behind is the law of the land. Every state in the nation is wrestling with academic standards and school funding. In this article, the authors outline three areas regarding public engagement that are worrisome: (1) Parents may not be ready for change; (2) Communication within schools and districts could be better; and (3) Districts and communities need to agree about where to put their money and what to do first. Based on their experience at Public Agenda, they identify three components of engagement that are indispensable: (1) Taking time to plan an effective process; (2) Reaching beyond the usual suspects; and (3) Including choice work.