Before a vocational education research and development agenda for the 1980s can be formulated and implemented, a national policy on economic and human resource development should be in place. In its absence, such an agenda must be shared in light of several factors that reflect the current demographic situation and long-range trends, including a projected skilled labor shortage, a serious youth unemployment problem, increased numbers of women in the labor force, an increased defense budget for new weapons systems, and reduced federal support and involvement. Adequate funding should be available for national, state, and local research and development. Federal-level research and development should center on indepth examination of issues that have immediate and long-range implications for policy and provide for indepth assessment of nationally driven incentives. The major focus of federal dollars that are granted to the states should be applied, rather than basic, program improvement. At the local level, federal dollars should be used to ensure local program improvement broadly defined. (YLB)