To evaluate current and possible future activities of the Education Commission of the States concerning the educational needs of cultural minorities, in 1980 the staff commissioned six papers to be written on the education needs of: (1) Blacks; (2) Mexican Americans; (3) Cubans; (4) Puerto Ricans; (5) Indians and Native Alaskans; and (6) Asians and Pacific Islanders. The Commission report draws implications from the papers concerning educational needs of minorities resulting from poverty, cultural differences, linguistic differences, mobility, need for parent education and parent involvement, and health problems of students. Although the authors of the papers generally limit their remarks to elementary/ secondary issues, each group appears to have education needs at the postsecondary level. In essence, the papers provide a comprehensive overview from which to assess the ongoing activities of the Commission. The Commission assists states in addressing the needs of cultural minorities by technical assistance, by information/data collection, and by interpretation of state needs to federal policy makers. Specialized staff members provide in-depth assistance in the areas of school finance reform, desegregation, Indian education, and migrant education. Some activities have been undertaken in the area of bilingual education. (CM)