The intent of this paper is to examine the issues, problems, implications, rationale, and basic assumptions behind the reexamination of the need for a generally accepted national policy for vocational education. The paper is divided into seven chapters. Chapter 1 establishes a framework to use in dealing with the main issues. The second chapter presents background information dealing with many of the questions regarding philosophy and policy as well as principles for vocational education. The third chapter presents the information received from an eight question survey mailed to twenty-three leaders across the country. For example leaders asked (1) Do we have a current national policy for vocational education?, (2) If we have a national policy, is it adequate?, (3) Do you believe we have a clearly defined philosophy of vocational education?, and (4) What relationship should exist between a philosophy and a national policy? The fourth chapter reviews policies of the past and present and their relationship to a changing society. Chapter 5 discusses the need for national policy and what function it should serve. Chapter 6 discusses the specifics of policy in the areas of program policy, personnel policy, and evaluation policy. The seventh chapter contains recommendations on national policy. (LRA)