An analysis of the literature dealing with the responsiveness of public institutions to their clientele constitutes the main body of this interim project report. The analysts adopted Dahl and Lindblom's classification of political decision-making processes for summarizing the range of governing systems possible in public education. These four governing systems are (1) hierarchy (control by professionals), (2) bargaining (control by competing elites), (3) polyarchy (control by nonelites), and (4) price (control by consumers). Attention is given to the particular decision-making arrangements employed in each model and to the conditions that have made these arrangements successful or unsuccessful in producing decisions responsive to the interests of the public being served. A preliminary research design is proposed to identify those conditions that would (1) make public school teachers and administrators more responsive to elected school officials and (2) make school boards more responsive to the interests of the public. A summary program budget and an extensive bibliography are also included. (Author/MLF)