FIFTY-THREE REPRESENTATIVES OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES FROM 19 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND CANADA ATTENDED A CONFERENCE, WHICH WAS THE SECOND PHASE OF A MULTI-PHASE PROJECT TO IDENTIFY STATE LEADERSHIP NEEDS AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS. THE PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE WAS TO CONCEPTUALIZE THE EMERGING ROLE OF THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS AND TO IDENTIFY IMPLICATIONS FOR DIVISIONS OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. BACKGROUND PAPERS, DEALING WITH SOCIETAL FORCES IMPINGING ON STATE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS, ARE INCLUDED IN PART ONE OF THE REPORT--(1) "THE CHANGING CHARACTER OF GENERAL POPULATION--IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION" BY P.M. HAUSER, (2) "PROJECTIONS OF CHANGING STUDENT POPULATION" BY E.P. MCLOONE, (3) "THE CHANGING OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION" BY L.A. LECHT, (4) "OBTAINING OPTIMAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR DISADVANTAGED GROUPS" BY R.D. HESS, (5) "STATE GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION" BY L. IANNACCONE, (6) "THE EXPANDING ROLE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN EDUCATION WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS" BY N.A. MASTERS, (7) "EMERGING ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES FOR FACILITATING EDUCATIONAL CHANGE WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS" BY F.J. IANNI, (8) "EMERGENT FUNCTIONS AND OPERATIONS OF STATE DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION" BY E.B. NYQUIST, AND (9) "THE ADMINISTRATION OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF A STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION" BY B. SHOEMAKER. PART TWO CONTAINS THREE PAPERS SYNTHESIZING THE VARIOUS VIEWPOINTS AND DRAWINGS MAJOR IMPLICATIONS AND A CHAPTER SUMMARIZING SOME OF THE IDEAS DEVELOPED DURING CONFERENCE DISCUSSION. (HC)