Discusses themes in two forthcoming books. In "Beyond the Self-Managing School," coauthored by Jim Spinks, changes in public school education are placed on three tracks: creation of self-managing schools, unrelenting focus on student outcomes, and transformation of schools for the knowledge society. "The Future of Schools,"…

Reviews "Politics, Markets and America's Schools" by John Chubb and Terry Moe. Argues that, although a new conceptual framework for public education is needed, a free market system is not the only, nor the best, alternative. Proposes exploring the model of partnership, making education a shared responsibility of home, school, and community. (CJS)