This report chronicles the work and recommendations of a coalition of educational, public, and private organizations known as the Grand Rapids Education Reform Initiative. Based on research showing that education in the public schools of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was in a state of crisis, the initiative set out to improve education throughout the system. The initiative was designed to facilitate positive, measurable, comprehensive, and sustainable systemic reform. The initiative created a plan called the Straight A Plan for Grand Rapids Education Reform. The plan contains the following components: alliance (community responsibility for successful education); authority (effective governance that empowers parents); access (choice for all parents); alignment (public school-private school partnerships for efficient and effective operations); and achievement (student achievement and school accountability). Implementation of the plan is expected to take place over a 3-year period starting in 2003. The top priorities of the plan are to: (1) establish school accountability; (2) build community awareness and responsibility: and (3) enhance academic development and training for teachers. (WFA)