A cooperative program to improve education in the public schools involving the combined resources of the state department of education, a state university, and the local school districts is described. This Professional Development Center Network (PDC) conducts research to produce decision-making information to upgrade inservice programs in the schools in conjunction with individual school districts. The goal of this project is to facilitate the increased use of research within the local public schools and to strengthen the bonding between the local school districts and the local state-supported university. Emphasis is placed upon helping the individual public schools to assess their needs and to conduct their own research projects. A PDC team cooperates with each local school district in identifying research areas and designing the project. The PDC team is also responsible for computerizing, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting data provided by the school. Sample projects conducted by this cooperative program are briefly outlined. Evaluation instruments used by the schools to obtain needs data are appended. (JD)