The Committee on National Statistics convened a conference in October 1979 to begin to examine the question of how discrimination and equity in education can be measured. The 10 participants represented a wide range of disciplines, and the 15 representatives of federal agencies included both producers and users of indicators of equity. Background presentations were made on current indicators of equity; then conferees discussed several topics basic to improvement of the current indicators, such as facilitating assessment of the impact of education policies on equity, research on social indicators, existing data that can be more effectively utilized, and mechanisms for acquiring unavailable data. Participants agreed on several points: (1) it is easier to measure equality than equity; (2) conceptual work should be the initial focus in developing indicators; (3) disaggregation of data should be maximized; (4) a broad view connecting family, education, and occupation should be used in work on social indicators; and (5) development of indicators necessitates distinguishing among and recognizing scientific, moral, and political questions. The participants developed an extensive list of suggestions for the research community, for establishing an advisory body, for agencies that produce reports containing indicators of equity, and for development of new or more disaggregated indicators. (Author/BW)