The research methodology of this study included both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Samples consisted of school counselors from 66 Victorian, 33 ACT, and 71 NSW schools in Australia. Findings show that building genuine partnerships between school and external communities requires lots of effort, commitment, and time. Effectiveness of a partnership depends on building mutual understanding, trust, and confidence between the parties. It takes time, due to suspicion and feelings of

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... ity, but the experience gained enables them to build genuine partnerships to do their best for the children. Schools being people-oriented social organizations, a high level of commitment and dedication of those involved could lead to significant differences in performance. In achieving the cultural change, the administrators have to work hard in developing the trust and confidence among different categories of stakeholders leading to empowerment toward the realization of the set goals. Findings from both the quantitative and qualitative methodologies suggest that when compared with what they experienced under centralized bureaucratic models, school-based management has created more autonomous, flexible, better quality, effective schools accountable not only to the system managers, but also to school communities. (Author) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.