Current public demands for increased educational quality can best be met at the state education agency (SEA) level, but the SEA is faced with the fact that no single, clearly acceptable definition of educational quality exists. As a result of this lack of consensus, the SEA must examine the policy options available before taking action. First, SEA's must recognize that the public, state legislatures, courts, and educational researchers have legitimate interests in the way educational quality is defined. Second, SEA's must realize that since no conclusive definition is possible, a series of operating definitions that can serve as bases for action must be accepted. These operating definitions may be focused on outcomes, processes, research results, or combinations of these. Once definitions are selected. SEA's have options when selecting the level of specificity with which the quality goals will be stated, the level of support that can be given local districts in the attempt to achieve the goals, the level of involvement of the SEA in monitoring goal achievement, and the form in which achievements can be reported to the public. (Author/PGD)