Partnership is now central to education internationally. The Home, School, Community Scheme, established in Ireland in 1990, is an example of introducing partnership in a radical way to designated disadvantaged primary and post-primary schools. This Scheme is the subject of the dissertation. There is an extensive review of literature on the rights and role of parents, on home-, school-, community-based learning, on the partnership process and on practice in various countries. The history, rationale, structures and current practice of the Irish Scheme are detailed. The thesis hypotheses are geared to ascertaining the attitudes of principals, coordinators, and teachers and to considering the coordinator's role as both innovative and key. Quantitative research data was obtained from questionnaires to principals and coordinators in 182 schools and teachers in sixteen schools. Qualitative data emerged through in-depth study of sixteen schools, including intensive interviewing of principals, coordinators plus involved parents and questionnaires to chairpersons and other parents. The research design also involves action research. This is to be found in critique, response, and constant evaluation on the part of the author and key participants in the Scheme. The evaluation element of the research is both formative and summative. The fourth chapter examines issues impinging on education, which are significant for the Scheme, such as valuing parents/pupils and communication inside/outside the school. The fifth and sixth chapters investigate structures, development, attitudes, values, belief systems, communication, teamwork and inter-relations, all of which point to the coordinator as an essential catalyst in the Scheme. Special attention is paid to partnership and to some shortcomings. Research carried out in Ferguslie Park, an area in Scotland undergoing educational and social regeneration, provided some interesting parallels and differences. In drawing the strands together we point to achievements, future challenges and areas needing further development.