Focusing on the time period since the 1974 Supreme Court Lau v. Nichols decision, this paper reviews Federal policy regarding bilingual education, discusses the current sociopolitical context of bilingual education, discusses evaluations of bilingual programming done to date, and examines the implications of these factors for schools and classrooms at the local level. Some of the features that distinguish present bilingual education policy from policies adopted in regard to earlier immigrant populations are outlined. Political problems faced by bilingual education since "Lau" are identified as (1) loss of local autonomy, (2) conflict between the legislative and executive branches of government (3) inconsistencies in the guidelines for legal compliance between 1970 and 1974, (4) funding, and (5) reliance on Title VII funds, which perpetuates a deficit (rather than a cultural difference) model of bilingual education. Several recent evaluation studies of bilinigual education programs are reviewed and critical issues common to these evaluations are discussed in terms of their implications for future programs. Finally, a composite model for an exemplary bilingual program is described, based upon what has been learned from previous evaluations. (Author/GC)