THE JUNIOR COLLEGE IN FLORIDA HAS FLOURISHED LARGELY THROUGH USE OF ESTABLISHED STATE AND LOCAL LEADERSHIP AND THE EXISTING LEGAL STRUCTURE. IN 1955, THE FLORIDA COMMUNITY COLLEGE COUNCIL WAS AUTHORIZED TO CREATE A STATE PLAN, WITH PRIORITIES BASED ON NEED AND DEGREE OF LOCAL SUPPORT. LAYMEN AND EDUCATORS, GUIDED BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AND SUPPORTED BY BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, CIVIC CLUBS, POLITICIANS, AND THE NEWS MEDIA PROVED TO BE THE MOST DILIGENT AND EFFECTIVE GROUPS. SUBCOMMITTEES SAW TO FACILITIES, PUBLICITY, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, COMMUNITY INTEREST, AND THE NECESSARY LOCAL SURVEYS. THE SURVEYS SOUGHT DATA ON (1) SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, (2) TOPOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION MAPS, (3) ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS, (4) PROGRAM NEEDS, (5) EXISTING HIGH SCHOOL AND POST-HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS, (6) COMMUNITY ATTITUDES, (7) AVAILABLE FACILITIES, (8) GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING NEEDS, (9) POTENTIAL TEACHING STAFF, (10) PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND (11) LEGAL PROCEDURES. TO ELIMINATE POSSIBLE FRICTION IN SITE SELECTION, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT (1) SMALLER COUNTIES BE GROUPED WITH A LARGER, MORE PROSPEROUS ONE, (2) THE SELECTION TEAM BE CAREFULLY CHOSEN TO AVOID CHARGES OF FAVORITISM OR POLITICAL INFLUENCE, AND (3) THE CHOICE OF ONE SITE OVER ANOTHER BE JUSTIFIED PROMPTLY. THIS ED.D. DISSERTATION IS AVAILABLE AS DOCUMENT NO. 64-13,187 FOR $3.10 (MICROFILM) OR $10.80 (XEROGRAPHIC COPY) FROM UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS, INC., 313 NORTH FIRST STREET, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48107. (HH)