This report employs three analytical perspectives (ideological, implementational, and comparative institutional) in order to examine Federal anti-discrimination law enforcement in the New York City school system since the late 1960s. Part I of the study defines the fundamental American egalitarian ideology and its equality of opportunity and equality of results strands. The ambiguity in egalitarian policy standards, as formulated by the courts and by the Congress in Title VI and the Emergency School Aid Act, is discussed. Part II compares the "Big City Review" in New York City with insights gained from similar reviews of faculty hiring and assignment and student service issues, undertaken in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. In Part III, data obtained in the study, as well as results of a survey conducted by the authors, are reviewed from the three analytical perspectives mentioned above. It is concluded, among other findings, that in New York City public schools for the time period examined, (1) commitments to anti-discrimination standards led to positive changes in teacher assignment and student tracking practices, and that (2) the entire process of civil rights enforcement was influenced by political factors at both national and local levels. (A list of persons interviewed and the survey questionnaire are appended.) (GC)