This thesis focuses on the feasibility of using community school councils as tools for increasing lay participation in school planning. The report describes community school councils as either those lay groups recognized and encouraged by the school, or the independent committees spawned by conditions in the community. Guidelines are provided for establishing community school councils on either a permanent or an ad hoc basis and for assuring that participation in such councils is effective. Included are case studies of citizen participation in Baltimore, Maryland and in Dayton, Ohio. (JF)