Educators and legislators tend to have differing impressions of the definition of educational quality. Components of quality can be classified into three categories: (1) input, e.g., student characteristics, such as grade point average and test scores, and faculty characteristics, such as advanced degrees and publications; (2) environment/process, e.g., library resources, student/faculty ratios, and state appropriations; and (3) outcomes, e.g., graduate placement and achievement, number of graduates, and honors. While legislators tend to focus on aspects of quality that are outcome indicators, educators tend to emphasize input and process quality indicators. These conceptual differences are related to other differences, such as the educator's desire for job security and a good salary and the legislator's desire for re-election. A corrective action plan for community college educators based on the differences between themselves and legislators would involve developing an understanding of public opinion and central legislative issues; designing public information programs around the public, rather than the academic, perspective; recognizing the political reality of the legislator; and learning the art of compromise. (LAL)