STATISTICAL DATA OF THE 1950 AND 1960 CENSUSES ENABLES TEXAS MEXICAN-AMERICANS TO BE COMPARED EDUCATIONALLY WITH OTHER GROUPS IN TEXAS, WITH MEXICAN AMERICANS IN OTHER STATES, AND WITH TEXAS MEXICAN AMERICANS OF AN EARLIER DATE. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY, ALL PERSONS OF SPANISH-SURNAME ARE CONSIDERED TO BE MEXICAN AMERICAN. THE PAPER IS ORGANIZED INTO 5 MAJOR SECTIONS--(1) PAST AND PRESENT EDUCATIONAL STATUS, (2) SOME SOURCES OF VARIATION IN EDUCATIONAL STATUS, (3) CHANGES IN EDUCATIONAL STATUS OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE POPULATION, (4) CHANGES IN EDUCATIONAL STATUS OF DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS, AND (5) FUTURE TRENDS IN ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE EDUCATIONAL STATUS. THE FOCUS THROUGHOUT IS ON THE NATURE AND MAGNITUDE OF RECENT CHANGES IN EDUCATIONAL STATUS AND ON THE PROSPECTS FOR FUTURE CHANGE. REFERENCES AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED. THIS IS A REVISED VERSION OF A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE (DALLAS, DECEMBER 10, 1965). (SW)