Despite continuous external efforts to make curricular, instructional and organizational changes, elementary and secondary school structures and practices have remained remarkably stable over the decades. These external pressures and the resiliency of schools reflect the constant tension between demands for change and demands for constancy. Historically, attempts to reform schools generally have paid little attention to the social and political forces in the larger society that influence schooling, or to the organizational culture and structure within schools and the teaching profession. Recent literature and reform efforts, however, have begun to address some of these influences. This seminar is intended to help participants understand the complex range of issues involved in the process of school change and to improve their ability to act as change agents or to undertake research on the change process. Through a seminar format we will focus on critically examining: 1. the social, political, and organizational factors influencing school reform efforts; 2. the historical responses of schools to planned change efforts; 3. the goals and assumptions of current school reform policies; 4. the processes and strategies of changes being enacted in schools; and 5. the processes and strategies of promoting school improvement