A class action begun on September 20, 1972 was settled on August 29, 1974 by a Consent Decree signed by United States District Judge Marvin E. Frankel. The group of children affected by the mandates in the Consent Decree are "all New York City public school children whose English language deficiency prevents them from effectively participating in the learning process and who can more effectively participate in Spanish." The decree mandates that "an improved method for accurately and systematically identifying and classifying children who are Spanish-speaking or Spanish-surnamed will be designed and implemented by the Board of Education." In February 1975, a total of 40 elementary, junior high, and high schools were identified and designated as Pilot Schools. These schools were to provide a complete bilingual program for all students within each school who had been identified as needing the program. They were also required by the decree to serve as training centers for appropriate school personnel in other schools. The agreement calls for the Board of Education to fully implement the program for all children in the described category by September 1975. (Author/JM)