The findings of the California Statewide Longitudinal Study (SLS) of community college students are discussed in terms of their implications for accreditation, evaluation, and educational accountability. First, a background to the study is provided which examines four areas of concern for educational accountability: (1) demographic trends and projections; (2) economic issues of public policy; (3) institutional mission and function; and (4) differentiation of roles among various types of accreditation agencies. Next, selected SLS findings and observations and inferences drawn from them are presented with respect to the following areas: student demographics; academic status and plans; student prototypes; and student outcomes and achievements. Among the observations in this section are that despite changes in the demographics of the community college, there remains a core of traditionally defined younger students who move from high school to college; that the greatest percentage of the SLS sample attended community college in order to transfer to a 4-year college; that the findings tended to explode the myth of the "2-year" college; and that the findings challenge the view that continuing education for part-time, adult students has become the dominant function of the community college. The paper concludes with 10 policy recommendations, several of which focus on the need to utilize and develop the student prototype categories identified in the SLS. (HB)