Equity in education first meant equal access to schools; in the early 20th Century it came to mean access to schools supported by equal resources; and more recently it has come to mean access to schools providing equally effective educational processes. Assertions that student achievement is affected more strongly by external factors than by education have led to research on effective schools. Among the variables found to affect student achievement have been school leadership, student body composition, emphasis on academics, classroom and time management, parental involvement, and staff development. These variables relate more closely to educational processes than to resources, suggesting that equality of access to processes is a significant concern. In less developed countries the effects of the variables affecting achievement are considerably modified by budgetary limitations and cultural differences, but the variables significant in developed countries also tend to be significant in less developed countries. The school effectiveness findings suggest that school level efforts to provide processes appropriate to the population should not be hampered by government policies aimed at equalizing resources, implementing change, or developing the staff. The research also suggests that improvements should be made in preparing administrators for effective school leadership. Seventy-six references are cited. (PGD)