This report discusses the activities and outcomes of a study that investigated the effects of social service reform, school restructuring, and special education reform for children and youth with emotional and behavioral disabilities. The study involved 116 caregivers of students (ages 8-14) with emotional or behavioral disabilities served in a special education program. Successful school-based models were identified through a multi-method site selection process, consisting of a national call for nominations, an examination of responses to two surveys, and a site visit. These methods resulted in 10 schools participating in the study. Characteristics of successful school programs were: (1) governance referred to the degree of decentralization of authority from the district to the school building level; (2) curriculum and instructional reform was reflected by innovative techniques and models to improve the instruction of children in both regular and special education classrooms, including multi-age grouping, instructional teams, and consultative-collaborative models of special education; (3) standardized tests were used in addition to criterion-referenced tests to measure outcomes; (4) high levels of parent involvement; and (5) use of pro-social discipline. After 12 months of participation, students showed an increase in achievement and a decrease in problem behavior and functional impairment. (CR)