While educators often have rich information on the strategies used in their own school, they may have little information about the strategies or practices in other schools--particularly the specific practices of consistently higher performing schools. To provide an outside compass for those seeking to improve, members at the National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA) have researched the practices of 479 school systems chosen through a careful analysis that identifies consistent school performance over at least three years in multiple subjects. They have also studied the findings of experts in effective schools research--most notably, Dr. Larry Lezotte of Effective Schools in Okemos, Michigan. Lezotte and Levine's "Unusually Effective Schools" monograph (1990) remains a classic in the review and analysis of research related to effective school practices. Their best practice findings are drawn from the case studies of the schools they have visited. They have structured their findings into five broad themes further defined by practices related to those themes at three school levels--district, school, and classroom: (1) Curriculum and Academic Goals; (2) Staff Selection, Leadership, and Capacity Building; (3) Instructional Programs, Practices, and Arrangements; (4) Monitoring Progress: Compilation, Analysis, and Use of Data; and (5) Recognition, Intervention, and Adjustments. This structure, the "Best Practice Framework," attempts to capture the general principles they found operational in organizations marked by sustained performance higher than demographically similar schools. (Contains 3 footnotes.)