Issues pertinent to the positive and lasting reform of innercity school systems serving disadvantaged minority youth are explored in this paper. Current and past reforms to improve school effectiveness have dealt primarily with instructional deficiencies of the school. However, three clusters of problems must be addressed: institutional deficiencies, developmental problems, and cultural discontinuities, which encompass internal and external factors. Not only should reform efforts attempt to change educational incentive structures, but also emphasize human relationships and national leadership. A recommendation is made for application of the holistic approach used by the Comer and Levin models within a framework of a new, broad-based social movement supported by a communitywide combination of commitment and human resources. (152 references) (LMI)

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