THE EDUCATION AND SUBSEQUENT SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF RETARDED CHILDREN AND YOUTH OF WAYNE COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOL AND SPECIAL CLASSES IN DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE INVESTIGATED. DATA FOR THE 400 MENTALLY RETARDED AND 100 NORMAL SUBJECTS WERE OBTAINED FROM INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRES, RECORDS FROM SCHOOLS, POLICE, EMPLOYERS, SOCIAL AGENCIES, AND THE ARMED FORCES. EXTENSIVE DATA ON THE BACKGROUND AND BEHAVIOR OF THE RETARDED SUBJECTS WERE OBTAINED FOR DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY FACTORS OR COMBINATION OF FACTORS FOR OUTCOME. DATA FOR BOTH GROUPS ON AGE AND TIME FACTORS, INTELLIGENCE LEVELS, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, FAMILY ORIGIN, FAMILY CONTINUITY, FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS, HOME ENVIRONMENT. SUBJECT BEHAVIOR, JUVENILE OFFENSES, AND RATINGS IN MANUAL ARTS, SHOP ACHIEVEMENT, PERSONALITY, AND PHYSICAL DEFECTS WERE INCLUDED. THE MAJOR FINDINGS RECOMMENDED EARLIER PLACEMENT, LONGER RETENTION IN SPECIFIC SCHOOLS OR CLASSES, MORE COMPREHENSIVE DIAGNOSIS, EXTENSIVE CURRICULAR REVISION AND EXTENSION, BETTER VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENTS, CAREFUL AND COMPREHENSIVE TEACHER PREPARATION, ADEQUATE AND PROTECTIVE LIVING SITUATIONS, SPECIAL ATTENTION FOR THE NEGRO RETARDED, AND BETTER CASE WORK FOLLOWUP AND SUPERVISION FOR WORK, HOME, AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS. IN CONCLUSION, THE STUDY HAS SHOWN POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED FAR LESS ADEQUATE THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT AS COMPARED WITH THE NORMAL. (GC)