In 1966 when initial planning for desegregation in Peoria, Illinois began, minority students were concentrated in 9 of Peoria's 39 schools. Twenty of the city's schools had white enrollments of more than 98%, indicating the most minimal percentage of minority students in more than half the city's schools. Four schools were totally white. The desegregation plan implemented in 1968 called for the realignment of school boundaries, the use of the middle school concept, a building program for new schools, one way busing, desegregation training and preparation programs for teachers and staff, increasing efforts to hire minorities, and improvement of the curriculum through use of multiracial materials. Community leaders in the city including school board members, business leaders, school administrators, civil rights leaders, and, to a limited extent, teachers, parents, political leaders, and the religious community gave early support to desegregation. The plan has failed to live up to the expectations of many community leaders. It has failed to eliminate segregation from the district's schools, it has failed to reduce the growing gap between minority faculty employment and minority student enrollment, and it has failed to initiate the middle school program which was designed to bring about desegregation as well as improved educational quality. (Author/AM)