Since the late 1970s, the New Zealand government has instituted educational reforms to increase Maori participation and success in education. These reforms required Treaty of Waitangi principles to be incorporated into school policies, devolved responsibility to local boards of trustees with community representation, required Maori culture to be reflected in school policies and practices, and ensured that instruction in Maori culture and language was provided when requested. The Forest Lake school, which in 1978 had an all-White staff (except for the author) and 10 percent Maori students, set up its first bilingual unit in 1982. The school developed an educational environment that is sensitive to Maori values and empowering to all students. The partial immersion course develops competency in both English and Maori and is flexible. The total immersion course delivers all subjects in Maori. The school has two parent groups, one Maori and one White, which merge when they need answers. The school now has nine Maori staff, a Maori deputy principal, and a Maori principal. Maori resources are produced along with English resources. There has been a 51 percent increase in Maori students. Multi-level classrooms allow students to move at their own pace without the shame of being held back. Reading tests for year-6 children showed that partial and total immersion Maori girls compared very favorably with mainstream pupils. Three Maori boys were up to standard and the remainder scored at a slightly lower rate in English. However, since partial and total immersion students can read in two languages, they are considered advanced. (TD)