LOS ANGELES RANKS SECOND TO MEXICO CITY IN THE POPULATION CONCENTRATION OF PERSONS OF MEXICAN DESCENT. THUS SPANISH-SPEAKING AMERICANS IN THE LOS ANGELES REGION REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT SEGMENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION. THE DIFFERENT CULTURAL BACKGROUND OF THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN REQUIRES SPECIAL TREATMENT IN THE SCHOOLS. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE EDUCATIONAL IMPLEMENTATIONS NECESSARY TO THE ACCULTURATION PROCESS, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A MORE DYNAMIC AND FUNCTIONAL CURRICULA. AN INCREASING NUMBER OF MEXICAN-AMERICANS IS EVIDENT IN THE PROFESSIONS, MANY ARE LEADERS IN THE FIELDS OF BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, THE GREAT PREPONDERANCE OF MEXICAN-AMERICANS ARE IN THE LOWEST ECONOMIC STRATA. THERE IS A RECOGNITION OF MEXICAN-AMERICAN EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS AND A BEGINNING OF COMMUNITY EFFORT TO ALLEVIATE THEM. MUCH OF THE HOUSING OCCUPIED BY MEXICAN-AMERICANS IS SEGREGATED AND SUBSTANDARD. THE POPULATION IN SEGREGATED AREAS IS INCREASING IN DENSITY WITH RESULTING BEHAVIORAL AND HEALTH PROBLEMS. HEALTH SERVICES ARE FRAGMENTED. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE SERVICES IS HINDERED BY LANGUAGE BARRIERS, IMPATIENCE, INDIFFERENCE, HOSTILITY, AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING. THOUGH GREAT STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE, PARTICULARY WITHIN THE PAST 10 YEARS, SERIOUS LAGS EXIST IN THE UTILIZATION OF THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN POTENTIAL.