This book provides ideas about developing new learning programs that are based on the actual day-to-day experience of 15 schools. The information was collected during visits to 15 new school programs in Illinois and adjacent States, and by talking with the people who had direct roles in devising these programs. Many of the schools in this study faced the same key issues in the planning and implementation of their plans. The report presents the issues the appeared to be most important to school planning groups. For each major issue there is a discussion of related common concerns, difficulties, and pieces of advice that were recorded on the site visits. Case descriptions of the 15 school programs are provided. (Author/JF)