This study uses data from an European Project on school self-evaluation. A hundred and one schools experimented with self-evaluation and reported on what they did and what were the outcomes of the process. It is therefore possible to look at which characteristics of the process are associated with a positive appreciation of its effects. This analysis is conducted by confronting 2 general models of self-evaluation, named here the "technical" model and the "participating" models. The 2 models are

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... presented, then their ability to explain the success of a process of self-evaluation is compared. The explaining power of both models appear to be rather close, a result which makes it relevant to look at their optimal combination. 1 Conditions of success of a self evaluation Committees, and in the schools, who make this Project such a pleasant, rewarding and useful experience. We thank two anonymous referees for their remarks, and Thierry Chevaillier for his help. We are of course the only ones responsible for the analysis presented in this article.