This study was commissioned in order to understand better how partnerships between the community and the schools work. Over 250 partnerships in arts education were convened in six city-wide institutes and three, multi-state, regional institutes to examine what contributes to and what blocks successful community and school partnerships on behalf of arts in education. The study concentrated on partnership structures and partnership processes. These structures and processes were observed within individual collaborations as well as in city-wide cooperative support systems. Meeting participants depicted trends in funding, in school systems, and in arts organizations that affect community arts and school intersections. In the three regional meetings, participants described basic principles of collaboration and critical success factors. The study also revealed some common challenges to collaboration. The document lists values common to successful arts and education partnerships as: (1) assure equitable access to cultural experience; (2) value all cultures, assure cultural diversity of programs and participants; (3) value artistic quality in education; and (4) ensure that the arts are indispensably a part of education. A partnership development cycle is described. While coordination is the central or fundamental requirement, it is only part of six fundamental systems that together support arts in education partnerships: (1) coordination; (2) funding; (3) public policies and plans; (4) information and training; (5) advocacy; and (6) programming. Nine critical success factors include: (1) leadership and vision; (2) effective planning; (3) broad based community representation; (4) teacher participation; (5) artist participation; (6) public awareness and communication; (7) awareness of program catalyst; (8) site specific program design; and (9) ongoing assessment of the partnership. (DK)