THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, BOARD OF EDUCATION TRACES THE HISTORY OF SCHOOL DESEGREGATION IN BERKELEY. HE DESCRIBES THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE PROCEDURE FOR SCHOOL FUNDING, AND THE CHANGE IN MAKEUP OF THE BOARD FROM "CONSERVATIVE" TO "LIBERAL." UNDER THE AEGIS OF A MORE PROGRESSIVE BOARD, PERSONNEL PRACTICES WERE GREATLY IMPROVED, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOL PROBLEMS WAS ENCOURAGED, AND SCHOOL BUDGETS WERE INCREASED. A CITIZEN'S COMMITTEE WAS APPOINTED TO STUDY THE PROBLEM OF DE FACTO SEGREGATION AND TO MAKE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ITS ELIMINATION. FERMENT FOLLOWED THE BOARD'S PROPOSALS TO BEGIN DESEGREGATION ON THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, AND IN 1964 OPPOSITION GROUPS DEMANDED A RECALL ELECTION TO REMOVE THE BOARD. THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION WAS IN FAVOR OF THE INCUMBENTS, AND THIS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE MARKED THE TURNING POINT IN BERKELEY'S MOVEMENT TOWARD INTEGRATED SCHOOLS AND QUALITY EDUCATION. IN 1964 A NEW SUPERINTENDENT AND CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WHO ARE COMMITTED TO DESEGREGATING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BY SEPTEMBER 1968 TOOK OVER. BERKELEY'S EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT THE BEST APPROACH TO INTERRACIAL EDUCATION IS TO FORCE THE COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN AND IDENTIFICATION WITH PROBLEMS OF SCHOOL INTEGRATION ARE BASIC TO A SEARCH FOR A VIABLE SOLUTION. THIS PAPER WAS PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA'S CITIES, SPONSORED BY THE U.S. COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS, WASHINGTON, D.C., NOVEMBER 16-18, 1967. (NH)