Written to help educators maximize student learning, this publication outlines a process for designing and implementing an improvement and restructuring plan based on knowledge acquisition, needs assessment, indepth planning, and development of commitment to change. Research has identified 14 conditions for successful schools: high attendance, social success, high self-esteem, learning-to-learn skills, appropriate learning climate, parent/community involvement, adequate curriculum and effective instruction, high expectations for students and staff, instructional leadership, adequate academic learning time, staff empowerment and professionalism, competency and self-renewal, and vision. To assess these conditions, sample staff, student, and parent/community surveys are included. Eight chapters describe a 12-step process to help readers/practitioners decide to improve the school; organize a successful school leadership team; construct a mission statement; collect and analyze data; establish goals; perform a discrepancy analysis between goals and mission statement; write subgoals and objectives with performance indicators; establish time lines; designate responsibilities and resources; implement the written plan; and make periodic reviews to determine accomplishment and need for revision. Appendices summarize effective schools research and provide survey forms and instructions for administering them and interpreting findings. (MLH)