Work being conducted by the Wisconsin Center for Education Research on the topic of effective secondary schools is described. The first section of this paper contains a summary of planning activities. A 5-year proposal for the Center on Effective Secondary Schools is described as well as an evaluation of that proposal. The second section presents a perspective on the mission of the new center. A view is presented of the current secondary school reform movement and how the center should respond to that movement. A specific plan of research to address the important issues within the movement is outlined. The third section of the paper details the future objectives of the center, including three long-range objectives--development of knowledge, improvement of practice, and provision of national leadership--and five important themes: academic achievement; higher order thinking; at-risk students; staff working conditions; and school change. (CB)