TO EXAMINE THE CONSEQUENCES OF SCHOOL RACIAL ISOLATION, THIS PAPER REVIEWS THE FINDINGS OF TWO RECENT FEDERAL SURVEYS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SEGREGATION, "RACIAL ISOLATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS" AND "EQUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY," AS WELL AS DATA FROM SEVERAL OTHER STUDIES. THE MATERIAL IS PRESENTED UNDER THE RUBRICS OF (1) THE CHIEF CORRELATES OF NEGRO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, (2) RACIAL COMPOSITION OF THE CLASSROOM AND NEGRO ACHIEVEMENT, (3) USEFUL DEFINITIONS OF SEGREGATION, DESEGREGATION, AND INTEGRATION, (4) THE NONACADEMIC CONSEQUENCES OF INTERRACIAL EDUCATION, AND (5) THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMPENSATORY EDUCATION IN SEGREGATED SCHOOLS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATED EDUCATION. THE FINDINGS OF THESE STUDIES SHOW THAT SOCIAL CLASS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SCHOOL CORRELATE OF ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES. ALSO TEACHER QUALITY IS A MORE SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THAN SCHOOL FACILITIES, AND THE RACIAL COMPOSITION OF THE SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM HAS AN ACADEMIC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECT ON STUDENTS. INTEGRATED EDUCATION, WHICH OCCURS IN DESEGREGATED SCHOOLS WHERE THERE IS INTERRACIAL ACCEPTANCE, IS MOST BENEFICIAL WHEN BEGUN IN THE EARLIEST PRIMARY GRADES. FINALLY, COMPENSATORY SEGREGATED EDUCATION IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE SUBSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATED SCHOOLS AND DOES NOT RESULT IN LASTING ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT FOR NEGROES. 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)