This paper provides a cross-program view of the results of three successful school improvement programs that regional educational laboratories developed and implemented. The programs and their developers are: (1) A+chieving Excellence from the Mid-Continental Regional Educational Laboratory; (2) Onward to Excellence (OTE) from the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory; and (3) the School Improvement Partnership Process (SIPP) from the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. All three programs have been field tested and have demonstrated their efficacy for improving schools. Their intellectual roots lie in research on effective schools and school improvement processes. All three programs attend closely to involving school-based practitioners in decisions regarding improvements, maintain an information component so participants share knowledge, foster data-based decision making, provide personnel with a perspective that change takes time, and protect schools from unreasonable expectations. In each case, outside assistance is a feature of the program. Limitations include: (1) disaggregation of data beyond student achievement; (2) a limited research base; and (3) inadequate methods of assessment. These programs represent solid efforts to provide research-based guidance to teachers as they work to improve schools. There is a 21-item list of references. (SLD)