Schools and school systems will improve their chances of making a good choice of school reform program if they determine: (1) the program's goals and objectives; (2) the program's research base; and (3) the resources, in terms of money and human effort, required to make the program work. (SLD)

A growing number of researchers are questioning the usefulness of reform strategies that do not provide teachers with specific information about how to implement changes. The replication of successful programs depends on giving teachers the tools they need to carry out reforms by explaining them in detail. (SLD)

Describes the implementation of "Success for All," a reading program developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, in an elementary school in an economically disadvantaged area of New York City. "Success for All" works successfully in this school, as in many others, because each of its elements is a proven, effective,…