An examination was done of school reform efforts supported by Bank Street College of Education's Center for Minority Achievement in two urban junior high schools in New York City. One school was a traditional junior high school with majority minority enrollment with most teachers using traditional techniques. The other school, the Media Arts School, was under pressure to change or dissolve due to declining enrollment. In this school, a group of teachers formed around a leader who wanted to develop an Active Learning Academy mini-school for 7th graders. The Bank Street College assistance at both schools took the form of obtaining additional meeting time to enable teachers to meet regularly to discuss teaching, change, and innovation. These opportunities to work together allowed people to define goals and become colleagues. The following six patterns of change emerged: (1) school leadership is committed to teacher empowerment; (2) student membership in the school is important; (3) voluntary teacher membership is essential; (4) attention to professional growth is necessary; (5) successful teams became colleagues; and (6) even when there is real empowerment, it may not have immediate credibility. The evaluation suggests that the locus of long-lasting change is the mini-school, not the building. (Contains 7 references.) (JB)