In the 20 years since the major Federal program for the disadvantaged began, surprisingly little has changed from its original vision. It is now time to question some of the basic policies of Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act in view of the change in conceptions about the Federal role and the recent state and local reform movement. There have been the following alternative modes of Federal action for public schools: (1) general aid; (2) stimulation through differential funding; (3) regulation; (4) dissemination of research results; (5) provision of technical assistance to help build capacity at other levels of government and the private sector; and (6) exertion of moral suasion through the use of the "bully pulpit." The evolution of the Federal role is traced; under the Reagan Administration the bully pulpit--which affects the early stages of policymaking, and education research priorities and trends--has become the central government role. The implications of this for Chapter 1 are discussed. There is a need to reorient the Federal role from routine fiscal monitoring and data collection without obliterating the special services basis of Chapter 1 for a particular group of children. Recommendations for improving the Federal role are offered. A list of references is provided. (BJV)