The problems of arriving at criteria for evaluation of education in the U.S., specifically the problem of accommodating the different values and expectations of many different evaluators, is considered. The author supports "the notion of local goals" with the federal government providing guidelines for, and evaluation of, the performance of those goals. He also notes certain "universals," like the 3 R's and socialization, and certain national needs, like skilled workers and teachers, that should be addressed both nationally and locally.