Drawing on data from a study of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, this report analyzes the technical assistance that local districts receive in compensatory education, with an emphasis on the relationship between technical assistance and the local decision-making that ultimately shapes the program. The first section describes current patterns of technical assistance provided to districts by state Title I offices and assistance provided within districts to principals and staff. Also discussed is the districts' need to combine the two roles of authority and assistance, as do state Title I offices. The second section considers local decision-making processes that shape program implementation, concluding that there is a continuing need for accurate information on statutory requirements, both to improve compliance and to inform local managers of their options for determining key program features. Although divisions of authority vary considerably among districts, general patterns of centralization and decentralization in decision-making for different aspects of the program are described. A postscript addresses policy implications, including the apparent desirability of continuing the states' role in providing technical assistance and the need to recognize that assistance that builds local capacity is likely to be costly. (Author/MJL)