Research on school restructuring reveals the commitments and competencies that lead to improved outcomes for children, including careful attention to students' emotional development, professional development that emphasizing the reflective study of teaching, culturally responsive and inclusive teaching, and a focus on early language and literacy instruction. Chapter 1, "Introduction," presents data on school children in Washington and describes the Unity Project's attempts to facilitate strong family-school-community partnerships to improve the performance of historically underachieving students. Chapter 2, "A Caring Community of Learners: Creating a Protective Shield," contrasts schools organized as caring communities to the factory-model school. In a caring community, supportive teachers, mentors, and advocates nurture the emotional and intellectual development of children. The importance of positive expectations and opportunities for meaningful participation is explored in a Whittier (CA) elementary school case study. Chapter 3, "Professional Development Through Collaborative Inquiry," describes what works, and what does not work, in professional development, and examines supportive organizational structures. Chapter 4, "'She Was Just as Smart Being Huy-Yon, But Her Grades Went Up When She Became Shirley," explores the impact of cultural influences one thinking, the important role of reflective self-analysis, development of cultural competence, and the creation of a culturally responsive school environment. Research on English as a second language, the structure of the language-learning environment, styles of discourse, and literacy are applied in a case study of the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe. Chapter 5, "Learning to Read and Write," explores the barriers to literacy in poorer communities and offers several activities, programs, and strategies promoting literacy. Chapter 6, "Family/School/Community Partnerships: An Interest That Comes From the Heart," describes the common aspirations of children, the process of building effective partnerships, and school-based child and family support programs that foster resiliency and emotional intelligence. Appendix A provides a detailed assessment of the current situation of Washington's children. Appendix B lists statistical indicators of child welfare for 26 Washington schools, disaggregated by race and ethnicity. Appendix C provides a brief history of major ethnic groups. Appendix D offers a list of contact information for multicultural literature, resources, and authors for children. (Contains 250+ references.) (TEJ)