Joint hearings on the process of improving access to preschool and postsecondary education in the United States were convened to examine the economic significance of improved access to the nation. James H. Scheuer presided. These 2 days of hearings were the last of 11 days; information given on the previous days, which focused on what the country must do to produce a skilled and competitive workforce, is contained in the report, "The Education Deficit." The present document includes testimony and prepared statements from numerous witnesses, including representatives of the states of Maine and Washington, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Express, U S WEST, the New York State Bankers Association, Sky Chefs, Inc., the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the American Council on Education, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Community College of Philadelphia, George Washington University, Boston University, the National Association of Trade and Technical Schools, the Education Commission of the States, the University of Wisconsin, Towson State University, and the College for Human Services. Various submissions for the record cover such topics as the GI Bill, student loan defaults, the ascent of higher education, enrollment trends, AIDS, and the new service economy. (LB)