This literature review is intended for policymakers and researchers concerned with citizen participation in the educational decision-making process. The study examines (1) the functions of interest groups in social science analysis of the political process; (2) the dominant theories employed in social research on interest group processes; (3) the results of such research as it is relevant to citizen participation generally and the educational decision-making process specifically. Section I summarizes theories and research related to participation and presents hypotheses which consider a functional approach to the interest group process. This approach stresses the consequences of participation for the individual and for the stability of the social system. Section II presents a network analysis approach which interprets participation in terms of both formal (voluntary associations) and informal (primary groups, family, and ethnic groups) relationships. This section also explores implications of available findings for political participation at the community level. The emergence of ethnic identity as a dimension of political behavior is discussed in Section III. Federal programs designed to promote the organization of minority urban poor are reviewed in Section IV. In addition, studies which gave insight into the process involved in school decentralization policies are analyzed. The section concludes with an examination of the communities which appear to foster citizen participation in educational decision making. (KC)