A TALE OF 2 SCHOOL DISTRICTS - LESSONS TO BE LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPACTOF RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND ECOLOGY ON CONSULTATION

University-based consultants instituted a primary prevention program, Going for the Goal, in 2 school districts. In this article we compare the consultants' experience in the 2 districts, focusing on the impact of contextual differences at each stage of the consultation process. Dissimilarities between the districts, including race, ethnicity, and culture; resources available; and norms for interaction between admini strators and teachers affected consultant-consultee collaborative rela tionships and contributed to varying degrees of success in program imp lementation. The consultants' experience highlights issues in program diffusion and provides insight into the complexities of translating th eory and research into consultation practice.