The hearing was convened to address the problems in American education and to identify and lend support to those successful and cost-effective policies, practices and programs that have emerged since 1965. This is one in a series of regional hearings designed to obtain diverse viewpoints, examine proposed solutions and agree on viable solutions to recommend for adoption as part of the national policy incorporating both excellence and equity in education. Among programs presented were: (1) Los Angeles County Public Library Literacy Program; (2) Watts Adult Education Center; (3) B. Dalton's national literacy initiative; (4) Bellflower Unified School District dropout prevention program; (5) Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Senior High Schools Options program; (6) Belmont Educational Clinic; (7) Focus on Youth; (8) Institute for Successful Living; (9) Soledad Enrichment Action; and (10) Marina del Rey Junior High School "Reading Is Fundamental" program. Experts and interested members of the community described educational needs in the LAUSD and aspects of programs that have been most successful. (PS)