As education reform continues among the states, the scope of federal support for education is becoming clearer. The Regents of the New York State Education Department believe that the federal government has a historically defined educational role that should be maintained and coordinated with state and local activities. The brochure outlines the Regents' education positions and proposals likely to be considered in the second session of the 101st Congress. The federal government should provide national leadership in addressing: (1) comprehensive child development; (2) academic competencies and the workplace; (3) national literacy improvement; (4) the status of the teaching profession; (5) reauthorization of the Higher Education Act; (6) improvement of underrepresented groups' educational access; (7) education research and development; (8) reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act; (9) improvement of informational and cultural services; (10) improvement of educational and cultural opportunities for elders; (11) work transitions for disabled persons; (12) state efforts to provide appropriate educational services under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act; and (13) improvement of education for international communication and American economic competitiveness. An appendix provides a chronology of federal involvement in education. (MLH)