Articles from a conference on nontraditional education and state-level issues are presented. The first article by Frederic Jacobs and George B. Weathersby summarizes some of the major trends and policy issues regarding nontraditional education. Next Samuel B. Gould considers why states should support nontraditional education and what strategies are appropriate to make nontraditional education possible. Theodore J. Marchese considers the audience for nontraditional education, commitment at the state level for this type of education, the question of whether an existing postsecondary system should be the provider of nontraditional education, state rule-making and oversight, and the issue of quality of new educational forms. Jerome E. Lord discusses the use of technology in open learning. Ralph A. Duncan expresses the view that the state should take the lead in providing nontraditional forms of postsecondary education, and recommends a free-standing model, as opposed to one integrated with the traditional higher education institution. James M. Furman reviews some recent developments in Illinois to illustrate how a state goes about implementing nontraditional education. Rather than a free-standing nontraditional university, Illinois developed a consortia of existing public systems. There have been successes at the state level in initiating a statewide educational television network, in the support of nontraditional cooperative regional program efforts, and in support of student aid. (SW)