The study and analysis of Soviet political, social, and economic systems is as old as the Soviet Union itself, but an intensive study of its educational system is a recent development. Many scholars have turned their attention to the Soviet Union's educational system and have studied the curriculums, teaching methods, textbooks, and other instructional materials of Soviet schools in an attempt to understand the role that education has played in bringing to the USSR success in the field of rocketry and missiles. Previous research has delineated the lines of authority that emanate from the Central Committee of the CPSU (Communist Party of the Soviet Union). This study is based on data collected from documents published in the Soviet Union and in the United States and on information obtained from a series of interviews with members of the Communist Party, a member of its Central Committee of the CPSU, ministers of education, chairmen of city boards of education, school inspectors, directors of institutes of higher education, professions of higher education, and directors of 11-year schools. Four main sections follow the introductory section. Section II describes the administrative structures of Party organizations from the all-union level down through the union-republic, regional, large-city, district--urban and rural, and basic administrative unit levels. .Section III describes the administrative structures of governmental units at each of the same five geopolitical levels. Section IV turns to an analysis of the decision-making process at each level and of the interrelationships that exist within the Party apparatus and Government structure, and describes the relationships between these two entities. Section V turns its attention to areas needing further study: school administration and the relationship of Party to Government. It attempts to bring some focus on questions still unanswered and on administrative processes still unexplored. Appendices include: (1) Selected Readings; (2) Glossary of Russian Terms Used in This Publication; and (3) Ministries and Committee Administering Higher Education in the 15 Soviet Union Republics. (Contains 34 footnotes and 7 figures.) [Best copy available has been provided.]