This dissertation is based on the author's role as "community consultant" to the Educational Planning Center, Boston Public Schools for three school planning projects: a 5,000 pupil city-wide campus high school in Madison Park, Roxbury; dispersed-site schools for the South End; an elementary school integrated with a new school for the deaf in Allston-Brighton. Issues include the potential of community involvement for initiating reform and its effect on school plans, the participants, the communities and the planners. Among the tasks which were included were: (1) forming an Advisory Cabinet for the city-wide high school consisting of representatives from institutions and 18 communities with weighted representation for walking distance (black) community, and (2) attempting to work though a newly formed community organization in the South End. Results were (1) acceptance by the planning center of community involvement as an integral part of the planning process, and (2) limited impact on school plans, participants, and communities represented in the Advisory Cabinet. It is concluded that a system of community involvement in Boston must be linked to a reconstituted School Committee elected by district (instead of at-large) and supported by administrative decentralization. (Author/AM)