The focus of this paper is on examination of the processes, elements, and attitudes required to meet educational policy needs in conditions of declining enrollment. Public education is going through a period of change that is derived from forces in the larger society, rather than from within the educational system. Educators must become involved in the politics of educational policy-making and in the broader activities of state government if effective planning is to take place. The Minnesota State Planning Agency, which is charged with coordinating planning and with identifying educational and demographic trends, is presented as one type of response to the pressure for orderly change. The author also points out the need for policy research that focuses on real world problems and for statesmanlike leadership in education. (Author/DS)