This booklet offers state, district, and school leaders guidance both in understanding comprehensive school reform and in identifying effective comprehensive school-reform programs and the organizations that develop and help implement them. It focuses on the new federal program known as the Comprehensive School Reform Development (CSRD) Project, a program that allocates funds to states through Title I and the Fund for the Improvement of Education resources. CSRD is a new source of dollars to help policymakers improve schools on a grand scale, and comprehensive school-reform models were developed to meet this need. The models have a number of defining characteristics, which include high standards for all children, research-based and research-tested programs, and a common focus on goals. Effective models of CSRD feature professional development; an alignment of resources; benchmarks; a fit with school needs and faculty support; parent and community involvement; and a capacity to assist large numbers of schools and to offer significant expertise and experience in providing assistance. Reform proposals must undergo rigorous review. They must employ proven methods for student learning, replicate successfully in other schools, and provide high-quality professional development. A checklist for identifying effective models is presented. (RJM)