Research relevant to instructional improvement has usually been conducted from one of three perspectives: the adoption of improvements in the classroom, the dissemination of information about improvements to practitioners, or the relationship between adoption of improvements and the administrative organization of the adopting agency. This paper synthesizes the research done from all three perspectives at the classroom, school, local district, and state education agency levels to give an overview of the entire field as an aid to planning and implementing instructional improvement efforts. The chapter on classroom improvements discusses curriculum alignment, attention to student characteristics, use of instructional time, success rate, and quality of instruction. The school-level improvement chapter concentrates on the role of the principal, the learning environment, organization for effective instruction, and curriculum alignment. Data-based decision-making, support for instructional improvement, planning, and interagency coordination are topics related to the local education agency and are covered in the next chapter. The chapter dedicated to state-level efforts deals with state dissemination programs, databases for decision-making, local responses to state and federal initiatives, supporting local implementation, and leadership and coordination. A set of propositions on which to base planning rounds out the document. (Author/PGD)