There is no inherent conflict between bilingual education and desegregation; only lack of creativity and lack of commitment deter implementation of bilingual programs in racially balanced schools. A review of literature related to the Brown v. Board of Education and Lau v. Nichols decisions revealed that bilingual education and school desegregation can and do coexist even though they appear to be contradictory (i.e., historically, desegregation has dispersed minority group students, and bilingual programs have concentrated them). Federal guidelines for the Lau decision have created unnecessary confusion among educators and within the Mexican American community regarding what is required and expected of bilingual education. A field study of school districts in California and Arizona yielded insights into the process of developing bilingual education in desegregated schools, but no school district provided a model program. Those planning bilingual education in a desegregated setting must first develop a "master plan" committed to establishing equal educational opportunity and then carefully integrate bilingual programs into that plan, providing methods that encourage Anglos and Blacks to participate in bilingual education, that maintain a "critical mass" of LES/NES (Limited English Speaking/Non-English Speaking) students around which to develop bilingual programs, and that ensure adequate staffing. (JH)