THIS NOTE EXAMINES EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AS A SOCIAL INDICATOR AND SUGGESTS A METHODOLOGY FOR DEALING WITH THE INHERENT PROBLEMS. THREE MEASURES OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ARE CONSIDERED FOR THE MODEL--ACCUMULATED EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT (AEA), CURRENT EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT (CEA), AND AGGREGATE EDUCATIONAL CAPACITY. THE CEA MEASURE IS USED. THE MODEL RESTS ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WHEN INDIVIDUALS ARE AGGREGATED, A FEW MAJOR FACTORS, WHICH MAY BE REGRADED FROM A NEGATIVE POINT OF VIEW AS BARRIERS TO EDUCATION, WILL EXPLAIN VARIATION IN ATTAINMENT. THESE FACTORS WILL VARY IN IMPORTANCE ACCORDING TO THE STAGES OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, BUT THEY WILL ALL HAVE AN EVENTUAL EFFECT UPON THE CEA CURVE. CAUSAL INFERENCES AND A DYNAMIC STRUCTURE FOR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. (HW)