This document consists of nine papers which discuss the planning and design, implementation and maintenance, and evaluation of magnet schools. They are based on practical experience with magnet schools, which first appeared in the early 1970s. By 1982, the movement had grown to include more than 1,200 schools in 140 urban school districts, and the rate of new programs implemented since then has rapidly increased. The papers (and their authors) are: (1) "Components of Magnet Schools" (Faye B. Bryant); (2) "A Practitioner's View of Essential Instructional Development Factors in Planning Magnet Schools" (Grace Fairlie); (3) "Effective Information Dissemination and Recruitment Strategies for Magnet Schools" (Phale D. Hale and Larry O. Maynard); (4) "Planning Resource Allocations for Magnet Schools" (William A. Pearson); (5) "Assessing Outcomes of Magnet Schools" (Lee Laws); (6) "Research Needed to Assess the Performance of Magnet Schools" (Jerry D. Bailey); (7) "Issues in Designing Magnet Schools" (Mary Haywood Metz); (8) "Comparative Analysis of Local Planning and Development of Magnet Schools" (Rolf K. Blank); (9) "Reflections on Understanding, Studying, and Managing Magnet Schools" (Mary Anne Raywid). A preface which provides an overview of the papers is included. (KH)