The Urban Initiative of the New Jersey Department of Education commits large numbers of its staff to a variety of efforts to improve schooling in the State's urban areas. It also represents an effort to develop a programmatic response that is rooted in research to the problems of urban education. In broad outline, the initiative is a comprehensive, long-term effort with two major components: a broad based assistance program for all 52 urban districts in the State, and a concentrated effort (Operation School Renewal) to improve the quality of education in three urban school districts and then expand to include additional districts. Both components complement New Jersey's new approach to monitoring the educational programs of local school districts. A major strategy of the Urban Initiative involves identifying and informing urban educators of effective urban school programs in New Jersey and other States. Effective school research played a fundamental role in the development of the Urban Initiative. Most significantly, it provided approaches (1) to address the low graduation rates of compensatory and bilingual students; (2) to develop sound disciplinary practices, policies, and educational alternatives for disruptive students; and (3) to increase the effectiveness of principals in participating schools. Research on implementation of innovation, which was also crucial, provided (1) the idea of using staff members as "external assistants" who help districts identify problems, find resources, and support implementation procedures; (2) an awareness of the importance of local commitment and the form it should take; and (3) plans for implementation. (KH)