A survey of the educational policy and system of West Germany is presented. The federal government and 11 federal states (Laender) operate in conjunction, creating an educational policy that occurs on two levels. A brief historical sketch is followed by a general description of educational policy, planning, and research in the context of the federal structure. A survey of the educational system from the elementary schools to higher education follows. Finally, attention is directed to current educational policy issues. The appendix contains: 29 tables and schedules of lessons; nine theses and counter-theses on the 1978 controversy over educational objectives; and addresses of the Laender Ministries of Education, the Federal Ministry of Education and Science, the Secretariat of the Conference of Ministers of Education, and the Federal-Laender Commission for Educational Planning and the Advancement of Research. An extensive bibliography is included. (LMI)