To meet growing demands for collecting and using quality information for decision-making, many U.S. school districts are developing database systems that increase their responsiveness to schools and communities. This paper describes how Long Beach Unified School District (California) designed and implemented a Database Management Information System (DBMIS) to improve information collection and use for districtwide planning. The major function of the DBMIS is to collect, accumulate, summarize, analyze, and report information on an annual basis, using 1986-87 as the baseline year from which longitudinal trends will be measured. Student achievement scores and the results of current, specialized Research Office studies will be integrated in the system to form a comprehensive data bank. Survey methodology will be used to identify areas for further study. Initially, the Research Office formed a steering committee to identify major planning issues to form the foundation of the management information system. Directed by a professional facilitator, the superintendent and committee identified issues categorized into eight major goal areas. Using these goals as a framework, the Research Office developed a bank of items to aid construction of district surveys. Ten items were then selected to address planning issues such as year-round schooling, job satisfaction, involvement in decision-making, facilities upkeep, and personnel issues. A second bank of 345 survey items was developed to assess school effectiveness variables influencing student achievement. In fall 1986 each school developed customized surveys for staff, students, and parents designed to meet that school's information and program needs. Survey methodology and findings are briefly summarized. Four figures and 11 tables are included. (MLH)