This report examines Wisconsin's demographic, social, economic, and political characteristics; and focuses in particular on the structural features of education and government at the State level to provide additional understanding of the context of the State policymaking system. Discussed are four issue areas that illustrate the State policy process for public education: school finance, desegregation, teacher certification, and an area of educational program improvement -- the Statewide assessment program of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. An analysis of the policy roles and relationships is made that draws on background and structural material as well as on the treatment of the issue areas. Generalizations and interpretative statements are then derived from this descriptive material. Finally, some predictive statements are made about emergent policy roles and relationships for State educational governance in Wisconsin. (Author)