A CONTENT ANALYSIS WAS MADE OF 153 ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES TEXTBOOKS DEALING WITH LATIN AMERICA. THE ANALYSES INCLUDED THE FORMULATION OF CATEGORIES FOR INTENSIVE STUDY AND TESTING. THE CATEGORIES WERE (1) GEOGRAPHY, (2) THE PEOPLE, (3) THE COLONIAL PERIOD AND THE REVOLUTIONS, (4) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT, (5) UNITED STATES RELATIONS WITH LATIN AMERICA, (6) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND (7) SOCIAL PROBLEMS AND CHANGE. A TEST OF UNDERSTANDING OF LATIN AMERICA WAS ADMINISTERED TO 1,227 STUDENTS IN GRADES 7 THROUGH 12. THE TEXTBOOKS WERE FOUND TO BE ADEQUATE, BUT LACKING IN BALANCE. STUDENTS AT ALL LEVELS HAVE A GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT LATIN AMERICA. FURTHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IS INDICATED TO RESTRUCTURE THE TREATMENT OF LATIN AMERICAN TOPICS IN THE TOTAL CURRICULUM AND PROVIDE MATERIAL ON SOCIAL CONDITIONS, INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY, AND PERSONALITIES. (RS)