This monograph studies the policy-making process of public schools at the elementary and secondary levels. Variables include legislative bodies and courts at the local, State, and national levels and special interest groups (e.g., labor unions and religious bodies, professional educators, and qualified voters). Public expectations have contributed to an increased nationalization of educational policy making. Citizens expect public schools to contribute to improved national security, economic growth, social mobility, and improved citizenship. Federal legislation in the areas of educational aid and civil rights has therefore mushroomed in the past decade. Philanthropic foundations have reinforced these trends by providing research grants aimed at improving the society as a whole, especially the underprivileged groups. Testing firms, private and public, have also influenced the curriculum of public schools to conform to certain standards. A review of three cases reveals the decision-making process in some detail. The cases include a study of the degree of local control of policy-making decisions, a clarification of the decision-making role of teachers and school boards, and the assertion of pluralistic elements at work in society today. (LN)