The purpose of this paper is to examine and evaluate the form, function, and effectiveness of Illinois demonstration centers established as change agents for the improvement of district programs for gifted children. The evaluation involved an analysis of the centers' policies formulated over an extended time period, the quality of the demonstration programs, and the centers' disseminative effectiveness. Instruments were developed to (1) compare a sample of demonstration classes with regular gifted and nongifted classes, (2) rate centers on the degree of detail provided to explain the program to visitors, and (3) record teacher interviews and visit and postvisit reactions. The paper contends that the centers can be judged successful in achieving the immediate goals of effective dissemination and demonstration on innovative models, but cannot be so judged in the most important goal of convincing local schools to adopt the models. A series of recommendations for improving the centers concludes the study. (MLF)