The first report from this study, "Leading From The Middle: Mid-Level District Staff and Instructional Improvement," was published in August, 2004. Since its publication, Leading from the Middle has been an important tool in helping school and district staff, policy makers, researchers, and reform advocates think differently about the role of the district in instructional improvement. A "Delicate Balance: District Policies and Classroom Practice," the second report in this series, moves the conversation to a deeper level by providing case studies that take an in-depth look at the challenges that these three urban districts faced as they attempted large-scale instructional reform. The case studies illustrate the demands on school systems as they balance central support and pressure, district mandates and school autonomy, and large-scale instructional reforms and school practices. Appended are: (1) Research Design and Methodology; and (2) District Demographics 2001-2002. [This document was produced by the Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform.]