The research project summarized here assesses the potential for child advocacy as a strategy for improving schools--especially for poor, minority, handicapped, and female children. Research activities included 50 weeks of observation and interviewing to assess the work of eight experienced child advocacy groups. The resulting qualitative data were used as a basis for making quantitative ratings of the extent of improvement brought about by specific advocacy projects. This summary highlights the study's most important conclusions and recommendations. Findings are reported in each of the following areas: (1) the nature of child advocacy, based on similarities and differences among advocacy groups; (2) the accuracy of advocates' claims about inequities experienced by various groups of children at risk; (3) the effectiveness of child advocacy at the state and local level, and the circumstances in which it is effective; and (4) the role of advocacy at the federal level, and the effects of federal-level advocacy on the quality of services to children. Drawing on these findings, conclusions are drawn regarding the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of child advocacy. The overall conclusion of the report is that school-focused advocacy experienced considerable success in improving educational services during the 1970s and that these successes are relevant to the changed circumstances of the 1980s. Recommendations are drawn from the study for advocacy groups and policy makers, and a final essay addresses educational policy implications of the report. (TE)