School reform has taken many shapes over the years. Among the most pervasive of school-reform theories is school-based management (SBM), which is examined in detail in this book. The introductory chapter locates the current round of SBM in the longer cycle of educational reform, describes the extent of SBM activity over the past decade in the United States, and places SBM within the larger restructuring movement. Chapters 1 and 2 describe the organizational form and operating characteristics of the current SBM movement and present a model that captures the central tenets of the argument for decentralization. Chapter 2 describes three operating types of SBM and develops a picture of the extent of SBM throughout the country. The forces that drive and shape the current SBM movement provide the focus of chapter 3. The fourth and fifth chapters discuss how the underlying dimensions of SBM have evolved through earlier eras of decentralization. Chapter 6 describes the outcomes of SBM--particularly those of decentralization efforts of the past decade--their effects on schools, the educational process, and students. The concluding chapter attempts to explain why the recent round of SBM initiatives has largely failed to fulfill its promise. Three figures and one table are included. (Contains 367 references.) (LMI)