THE AUTHOR STATES FOUR MAJOR PROBLEMS THAT PLAGUE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH--ISOLATION FROM THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, PRESSURES FROM SCHOOLS, CHRONIC SHORTAGE OF SCHOOL PRACTITIONERS, AND THE POOR QUALITY OF GRADUATE STUDENTS IN EDUCATION. FOUR POLICY IMPLICATIONS RESULT FROM THE FAILURE OF THE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH FIELD TO RECRUIT ENOUGH QUALIFIED PERSONNEL WITH A MAJOR COMMITMENT TO RESEARCH--(1) MORE RESEARCHERS FROM THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES NEED TO BE RECRUITED AND TRAINED FOR WORK IN EDUCATION, (2) NEED FOR SOMETHING WORTHY OF DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION CAN ONLY BE MET WITH A LARGER AND BETTER QUALIFIED BODY OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHERS, (3) THE DEMAND FOR SCHOOL PRACTITIONERS REQUIRES THE EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF RESEARCH TALENT AND THE FREEING OF THE BEST RESEARCHERS FROM TRADITIONAL TEACHING OBLIGATIONS, AND (4) SUFFICIENT FUNDS MUST BE OFFERED TO ATTRACT THE BETTER STUDENTS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS. A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FEDERAL ACTION ARE MADE. (HM)