This paper applies the strategic planning process to the task of school renewal and improvement. After outlining the basic elements of stratgic planning (planning-to-plan phase, research, writing a mission statement, forecasting, contingency planning, and development of the strategic plan), the paper focuses on using this model to restructure schools. The policy formulation used, SPERI (Strategic Planning for Educational Reform and Improvement), is a set of manageable, concise procedures designed to help educators formulate effective policies. It is conceived of as a rational change process. The system was tested on three schools as case studies. Included are detailed descriptions of the three schools as they implemented this model, with the assistance of the developers, and with particular attention given to contrasts in the way each client group interpreted and adjusted the SPERI components to fit local context, politics, and values. In conclusion, it is noted that local contexts cause variations in the implementation and outcomes of the system. The flexibility required is also discussed. References are appended. (LMS)