The National Study of American Indian Education, in its first major publication, brings together information in summary form from a number of sources for the purpose of providing a description of the present state of Indian education. The context of American Indian education is identified in terms of American history, geographical location, educational development, acculturation, and assimilation. The educational responsibility assumed by the Federal Government (most recently through the Bureau of Indian Affairs), Christian missions, and public education systems is discussed. Characteristics of the Indian population in general, Indian students in particular, and teachers of Indian students are presented and compared with national norms. Several of the conclusions reached are that (1) school achievement of American Indian children is substantially below national norms; (2) Indian completion of high school lags behind the national level; and (3) a rapid rise in numbers of Indian students participating in post-high-school educational programs may be expected as the rise in the high school completion rate continues. A bibliography, 23 tables of data, and samples of questionnaires used in the study are appended. (JH)