With new knowledge and tools at their disposal, educators at all levels are exploring alternatives to ability grouping in order to improve schooling for all students. Bringing about positive results requires the development and utilization of knowledge about how ability grouping affects schools, exploration of beliefs that support grouping, and identification of the educational tools and techniques that make alternative practices possible. Implementation of alternatives to ability grouping include more than the regrouping of students from homogeneous to heterogeneous groups. Rather, what is needed is whole-school reform, requiring educators to investigate and adapt a variety of new approaches to curriculum and instruction in the classroom. Curriculum and instruction resources developed expressly for heterogeneous groups emphasize thinking skills, cultural perspectives, and high expectations for all students. Successful school reform depends on demonstrating to different interest groups that children will not be harmed and will indeed benefit from alternatives to ability grouping without diluting the curriculum. Professional development for teachers and leadership pulling together the necessary knowledge and tools make implementing alternatives to ability grouping possible. (Contains 9 references.) (LL)