This report derives from a study of the implementation of civil rights guarantees by elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions. The study was commissioned by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) with the objective of determining whether the OCR should more closely monitor and enforce compliance with Federal regulations concerning the rights of women, minorities, and the handicapped, or whether these regulations are being adequately addressed through local administration of compliance mechanisms. Under Federal law, local institutions are required to (1) file formal assurance of compliance with guarantees established in Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, (2) conduct a self evaluation of their practices in dealing with the rights of women and the handicapped, (3) appoint a compliance coordinator, and (4) establish formal grievance procedures. Based on case studies of twelve local education agencies and twelve institutions of higher education throughout the country, it was found that (1) nearly all the institutions had implemented the required mechanisms, though few people apart from managerial personnel knew that they existed, and (2) the four mechanisms contribute to the change process, but the most important changes are initiated by institutional leaders or employees. Of the four mechanisms, assurance of compliance was found to be the least effective. Recommendations are offered for improving its usefulness. (Author/GC)