A 3-YEAR STUDY OF DECISION MAKING IN THE NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS EXPLORES THE POLITICAL FORCES AFFECTING EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND EVALUATES THE RELATIVE OPENNESS OF THE SYSTEM. POLICY MAKERS INCLUDE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, 31 LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE HEAD OFFICE STAFF, THE FIELD STAFF (PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS, AND DEPARTMENT CHAIRMEN), A HEADQUARTERS SUPERVISORY GROUP, LOCAL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS, SUPERVISORY ASSOCIATIONS, THE TEACHERS' UNION, LOCAL CIVIC AND INTEREST GROUPS, AND THE CITY'S PRESS. AS POLICY-FORMULATION FOR AN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS DEMANDED MORE SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE, POWER HAS SHIFTED FROM THE BOARD TO PROFESSIONALS IN THE SYSTEM AND TO SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND BUDGETING ARE ALMOST COMPLETELY CONTROLLED BY THE HEADQUARTERS SUPERVISORY BUREAUCRACY. IN THE SELECTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PLAYS A PRIMARY ROLE. THE DETERMINERS OF SALARY POLICY INCLUDE THE MAYOR AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS AS PARTICIPANTS. PROBLEMS CONCERNING INTEGRATION HAVE PROMPTED THE ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, FURTHER BREAKING THE MONOPOLY OF POWER VESTED IN THE SMALL CORE OF SUPERINTENDENTS, BOARDS, AND SCHOOL BUREAUCRACIES. SUGGESTIONS FOR DECENTRALIZING THE SYSTEM INCLUDE (1) DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL PARKS, (2) STRENGTHENING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, (3) DECENTRALIZING ECONOMIC ADMINISTRATION INTO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND (4) REPLACING THE PRESENT SINGLE DISTRICT WITH SEVERAL COORDINATED SMALLER DISTRICTS. THESE SUGGESTIONS ARE APPLIED TO THE FIVE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK CITY. THIS DOCUMENT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CENTER FOR URBAN EDUCATION, 33 W. 42 ST., NEW YORK, N.Y. 10036, FOR $1.00. (JK)