This paper examines the success of the Boston (Massachusetts) Compact's business and public education agreements over the years 1985 through 1987. The Compact began in 1982 as a citywide public school improvement program. Business, university, and trade union leaders agreed to establish and meet measurable admission and hiring goals to increase youth employment and higher education opportunities. The Boston Public Schools agreed to improve student achievement, attendance, and graduation rates, as well as the quality of education they provided. Five years later, the business sector had met or exceeded all of its goals, while none of the school district's goals had been achieved. The first section, "The Business Community and the Schools," deals with the business community's role in the Compact and the circumstances that encouraged businesses to become more active in the city's education affairs. The second section, "The Compact and the School Department," considers the school department's efforts to improve the schools and the difficulties encountered. A third section, "The Compact in the Schools," looks at the Compact from the perspective of staff members of two of the city's 17 high schools. The final section offers an analysis of the Compact's accomplishments and its prospects for school improvement. A list of 19 footnotes is included. The appendices include a description of the Boston Compact Agreement, and a discussion of the research method employed in writing the paper. (FMW)