High-priority mission areas concerning schools are identified that are appropriate for research and development centers supported by the National Institute of Education (NIE). This draft summary report to the director of NIE focuses on the study of schooling, including subject content, teachers and their preparation, school organization and improvement, instructional processes, and the experiences and accomplishments of diverse groups of students. Attention is also focused on center functions, organizational forms that a center might take, and the feasibility of centers that are designed to meet each mission. It is noted that in addition to focusing on research, the university-based centers would act as a clearinghouse for all research dealing with its mission. Additional center functions would include: producing research reports, disseminating findings at conferences, developing educational offerings related to the work of the center, and initiating research proposals and plans. The detailed mission statements, which include research objectives, potential research topics, and their rationale, are provided for eight research centers focusing on the following areas: school quality and improvement, special populations, school subjects, instructional processes, school personnel, secondary schools, social processes and outcomes, and school indicators. (SW)