The Chicago (Illinois) School Reform Act of 1988 (Public Act 85-1418) requires each attendance center in the Chicago Public Schools system to prepare a three-year School Improvement Plan. This guide was prepared to help schools coordinate various plans and to link improvement planning with budgeting. The guide includes four principal sections. The first section, "Planning for School Improvement," outlines 12 main steps in the planning process and presents a calendar of key events to help map a planning timeline. The second section, "Mandated School Plans," presents information on the following: (1) the Chicago school improvement plan, including a listing of 20 goals pertaining to student performance, educational programs, staff, and parents and community; (2) the Illinois state Chapter 1 plan; (3) the Federal Chapter 1 plan; (4) the Project CANAL (Creating a New Approach to Learning) plan; and (5) the school plan for learning objectives. The third section, "Expenditure Plan," provides a description of the financial plan and budgeting process. The fourth section, "Suggested Plan Format," presents a sample ledger designed to help incorporate legislative requirements in school improvement planning. Appendixes include a suggested needs assessment, a sample parent/community survey, annual targets for student performance objectives, and potential school improvement strategies. A 26-item bibliography is included. (AF)