Passage in 1989 of Oklahoma's education reform bill, H.B. 1017, provided encouragement and financial rewards for use of consolidation as a reform strategy, but this approach is often met with anxiety and hostility from stakeholders. In an effort to identify strategies that facilitate consolidation, semistructured interviews were conducted with the superintendents of 16 rural Oklahoma school districts that had participated in 8 voluntary consolidations. The superintendents discussed strategies used to enhance the consolidation process for teachers, parents and community, students, support staff, administrators, and board members, as well as strategies that proved unproductive. Thirteen successful strategies were identified. Addressing the number one staff issue--job security--all eight consolidated districts guaranteed the positions of administrators and support staff, while five new districts retained their entire teaching staff. Keeping staff informed and providing employee displacement compensation were other staff strategies. Maintaining all school sites greatly enhanced the consolidation process for students and community members; this was accomplished in six consolidations. Other student and community strategies included community meetings, media releases, focus on the student benefits of consolidation, and joint student-body activities. Administrative issues were addressed through preconsolidation administrative appointments, joint board meetings, extensive planning, and state assistance. Contains 25 references and 16 data tables. (SV)