COPING WITH PROPOSITION 2 1/2 will continue to be the biggest challenge facing the city's public schools; all too easily, Cambridge's educational system could plummet to the level of other big city systems in the years ahead. Preventing that will require creative problem-solving and a genuine interest in the welfare of students, a blend of efficient management and responsiveness to the needs of the city.

The best chance for achieving these goals lies in the election of a progressive school committee in tomorrow's elections. Six candidates--Glenn Koocher, David Blackman, Henrietta Attles, Frances Cooper, Maryann McEachern and Sara Mae Berman seem likely to provide this kind of leadership.

Again, the number one vote is most important. In this case, it is Glenn Koocher--a lifelong resident of the city and a foe of special interests, be they liberal or conservative--who has best served the community.