This monograph and its companion, "Legislative Education Leadership in the States," portray the contemporary role of state legislators and map the structure of education leadership in terms of both the characteristics of influential legislators and staff and the nature of influence structures in state legislatures. This volume reports the results of indepth interviews with legislators, staff, lobbyists, state department personnel, gubernatorial staff and other knowledgeable informants in six states--Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Wisconsin, Utah, and New Hampshire. The patterns of state politics that emerged range from the "partisanship" of Pennsylvania's legislative policymaking to the "fragmentation" of that in California. In Florida, the most powerful and respected legislators had first made their names in education. Wisconsin's orientation toward governmental reform affected its legislative policymaking in education. The Mormon Church provided an interesting force in Utah's legislative politics, while New Hampshire's were characterized by a strong tradition of localism, which serves to minimize state intervention. (MMJ)