The art of relating educational research to public policy is still primitive. Educational policy is formed mainly by tradition and the political pressure of interest groups, while educational researchers study questions determined by the scientific community. Educational research has not noticeably influenced policy because trained researchers have been too few, resources too limited, and efforts too fragmented. The need for illuminating educational policy by research is great, and the situation is becoming serious. The California Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study, which illustrates cooperation between educational policy makers and researchers includes these aspects: (1) the study is a genuine cooperative venture between the policy makers and researchers; (2) it has had sufficient funding from the several million dollars available to develop new programs; (3) the research and its eventual application requires time, which is available; (4) the study has been flexible in its planning and implementation stages; (5) the policy makers and the researchers meet together continuously, and each teaches the other; (6) the project has had continued advice, to which it has listened, from a broad spectrum of persons on a research advisory board; (7) the research and policy effort has been continuous; and (8) the project is taking advantage of spinoffs. If this study is a good example of research relevant to public policy, then educators are moving from a primitive state of organizing research and policy. (SK)