Since 1997 "local boards with parents in majority" have been tried out in a number of Swedish schools. Such boards consist of parents, teachers and the head-teacher. The boards are authorised to decide on a number of important items, such as resource planning, educational policy, recruitment, measures against bullying, local subjects, point of time for daily start and finish, etc. In a study seven local boards were followed during two years; the participants were interviewed, minutes and notes from meetings were analysed with respect to items and decisions. Additionally, meetings in all board were subject to observations by the researchers. The aim of the study was to investigate the mode of co-operation that develops in such boards. What items are handled? Are the participants satisfied with that form of representation, participation and responsibility? What problems will arise when items, former handled by an individual head- master, now has to be treated in a board including parents and teachers? The results indicate that anxiety about taking full responsibility for running a school is high. The different boards develop some strategies to handle the insecure and "unsafe" situation. In order to handle trust and mistrust the boards usually try to create "harmony", which in turn results in a kind of make-believe boards. In some cases conflicts emerged, while in other cases real co-operation took place. In this paper the antecedents and the outcomes of successful and working boards are discussed.