This study began as an attempt to establish a baseline to evaluate a project to build school community. A School Community Survey was administered to parents and teachers in seven demonstration schools (six elementary and one middle school), and the principals of these schools completed a needs assessment. A total of 168 teachers and 945 parents completed the survey. Survey results show that most parents (86%) attend the open house and 76% attend the parent-teacher conferences. The reasons for analyzing data gathered from parents, teachers, and school principals were threefold: to provide each school a data-based way to proceed, information for building a stronger school community and for assessing its progress, to establish a baseline for evaluation of a project of the Laboratory for Student Success, and to begin the compilation of a data base that will eventually yield normative standards that will serve as indicators for schools in such previously subjective areas of school improvement as parental involvement, the curriculum of the home, and the strength and focus of a school community. About one-third of parents report involvement in some school activity, but the level of involvement drops with middle school. Parent responses indicate that about half of the students benefit from a curriculum of the home. Results show many differences in the perceptions of parents and teachers about school issues. The School Community Index as developed is a crude first attempt at measuring aspects of school community, including shared educational values, formation of social capital, and the curriculum of the home. With further research, it can lead to a better understanding of school community and ways to measure it. (Contains eight tables and three references.) (SLD)