We have found that a significant change in the local structure of La2/
3Ca1/3MnO3 occurs between 80 K and temperatures above the Curie temper
ature, T-c=270 K. Near-edge x-ray-absorption spectra exhibits changes
between 80 K and above T-c. X-ray-absorption fine structure reveals di
fferences between the nearest-neighbor Mn-O bond distributions at 80 K
and above T-c. The single-site distribution at low temperature become
s a complex, multi-site distribution above T-c. The observed change is
consistent with proposed small polaron related local Jahn-Teller dist
ortions for T>T-c.