A study of the relative impact of three different methods for assessing school needs failed to find significant differences in those methods' effects on school improvement efforts. Questionnaires were sent to 148 schools in six states: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Michigan, and Pennsylvania; 41 schools participated in the study. Two instruments were used to gather data: school principals completed a School Background Information Form to provide contextual data and information on the school assessment methods used, and principals and two selected faculty members completed an Implementation Questionnaire designed to elicit data on respondent background, features of the local school assessment study, overall impact of the assessment, and impact on the specific areas of teacher activities, instructional materials, instructional situations, goals, problems, and policies. The assessment methods examined were as follows: (1) accreditation, using performance information gathered within National Study of School Evaluation and regional accreditation guidelines; (2) systems management, involving analysis of discrepancies between stated goals and actual performance; and (3) the effective schools method, based on comparison of school characteristics with characteristics identified in effective schools. Charts and tables presenting different aspects of the findings are attached. (PGD)