Change agents are those who introduce innovations into a society or organization. Their function and method has been studied in various cultures and professions, and this book applies those findings to schools. It is addressed both to administrators and to "change agents working from below." After presenting four case studies of change agents in action, it uses illustrations from those cases to explain the six stages of planned change: building a relationship between client and change agent, diagnosing the problem, acquiring relevant resources, choosing the solution, gaining acceptance, and stabilizing the innovation and generating self-renewal. There are three appendices: the strategies and tactics of innovation, major information sources in education, and an annotated bibliography on major works on change in education. (JK)