The State has primary responsibility for public education. It should be the priority for each State legislature, State Board of Education, and chief State school officer to consider what methods can be employed to meet equal opportunity/ desegregation standards, to devise and implement strategies to overcome deficiencies, and, thereby, to assure the educational rights of all students. The State Education Agency (SEA) is in a position to define desegregation, to include educational outcomes expected, and to adopt programs to effectively implement its goals and objectives. The SEA must also, by policy and example, set standards for affirmative action programs in employment for local school districts. In addition, the historical reasons for the limited role of the States in desegregation have become less and less valid, and a new State/Federal partnership is a pressing need. States must demonstrate the ability to coordinate and implement desegregation and equal opportunity as well as the commitment to doing so. The Federal government should in turn permit States which demonstrate both ability and commitment the opportunity to enforce Federal desegregation programs within those States. (Author/EB)