THE MAJOR PROBLEM OF THIS PREPARATORY RESEARCH PROGRAM WAS TO ASCERTAIN THE FEASIBILITY OF MAKING A FULL-SCALE STUDY OF THE DYNAMICS OF SCHOOL INTEGRATION CONTROVERSIES IN NEW YORK CITY. METHODS INVOLVED INTERVIEWING AND OBSERVING LEADERS AT CITYWIDE AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEVELS, INCLUDING SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, TEACHERS, PARENT GROUPS, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, POLITICIANS, AND CIVIC LEADERS. A "SNOWBALL" TECHNIQUE WAS USED TO IDENTIFY KEY LEADERS, WHO WERE INTERVIEWED. CURRENT EVENTS WERE MONITORED BY USING NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS, SPECIAL STUDY REPORTS, PUBLIC HEARINGS, SPECIAL WORKSHOPS, AND CONFERENCES. FOUR CONCEPTS WERE DISCUSSED--(1) SYSTEM OF CORE AND SATELLITE GROUPS, (2) THE SUBSYSTEM OF THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, (3) THE ROLE OF THE SUPERINTENDENCY, AND (4) CONTENDING STRATEGIES. (HB)