On March 26, 1986, Governor Gerald L. Baliles appointed the Commission on Excellence in Education and charged them with the responsibility of bringing him recommendations for specific actions to place Virginia in the top ten states in the Quality of education it offers. The Commission's Report, entitled Excellence in Education: A Plan for Virginia's Future. contained thirty-six recommendations and was submitted to the Governor in October, 1986. Specifically this study was designed to determine how and why the thirty-six recommendations were made by the Commission. Those key actors or decision makers and those key factors that were most influential in developing the thirty-six recommendations made by the Commission were to be identified. A third purpose of this study was to determine whether the impact of the Commission's Report had met or exceeded the expectations of those responsible for the report. / Ed. D.