Utilizing a grant from the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Rochester Schools Alternative Study has been established to study the possibilities of developing an education system which would: (1) include a variety of learning programs based partially on the best aspects of those previously tried and (2) provide parents and teachers a choice in selecting the school with which they wish to be associated. Such a choice would allow teachers to select a teaching situation which would maximize the use of their particular teaching skills and abilities; likewise, parents would be able to choose for their child a school which they feel best meets his learning style. The use of educational vouchers is being studied as a means of financing such a system. The first volume of this report includes general background information regarding the origin of the voucher concept, a brief history of federal categorical aid, a description of the current educational scene in Rochester, and other relevant background information. The most important sections of Volume 1, however, describe the rationale for, and the approaches to, the study--the methods used to inform various segments of the school community and the use of feedback from many individuals and groups in the development of a proposed voucher model. Volume 2 describes the proposed Rochester Voucher Model; and Volume 3 comprises 13 appendixes of supporting tables, narratives, and documentation. (Author/EA)