The impact of recent technological, social, and economic change has necessitated a re-examination of educational structure, and has resulted in school district reorganization projects in many states. The purposes of this paper are to review the various legislative techniques employed by 33 states in their attempts to merge or reorganize school districts, and to determine what types of legislation have been effective in establishing adequate district structure. Current legislative attempts are divided into 3 distinct types according to degree of exigency: permissive legislation, mandatory legislation, and semipermissive legislation. Examples of these types of legislation are provided, and conclusions are drawn as to what important legislative features should be included in state laws to promote effective district reorganization. (DK)