The Disadvantaged Schools Program has been a watershed in education in Australia. From its beginnings in 1974, to the present day it has provided additional funds for schools serving the nation's most underprivileged neighbourhoods. Of the three basic objectives identified by the Schools Commission the author was particularly interested in the one which sought to encourage schools to become more open institutions linked with their communities. The study focuses on this objective after a general background description of the Disadvantaged Schools Program in New South Wales. By examining the development of the Disadvantaged Schools Program on the North Coast Region in detail the author was able to more easily discover the way community involvement had occurred. Four sample schools were selected for closer examination and via questionnaires to school community members, structured interviews with principals, discussion with staff, observation of these schools and examination of some records, a data matrix was obtained to provide answers to three key questions concerning: the status of community involvement; the responsibility of DSP for this involvement; and the attitude of the community and teaching staff to this involvement. The results showed that the four schools were at various stages on a continuum between involvement and participation. All had achieved the Interim Committee's third objective of more open institutions with closer links to their communities. Excellent programs designed often cooperatively by community and staff were in operation.