The papers of Margaret S. Marston Lampe span the dates 1978-1987 and are comprised mostly of correspondence, final report drafts, briefing material, meeting minutes, and newspaper clippings. The collection is organized into the following series: National Commission on Excellence in Education, Elementary and Secondary Mathematics, National Institute of Education Laboratory, Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education, and Virginia Board of Education.

The majority of this collection contains material from the National Commission on Excellence in Education, of which Ms. Lampe was an original member of the 18 person National Committee. Included in this series are commissioned papers and statements heard before the US House of Represenatives with the intention to raise the standards of education in the United States from schools to colleges and universities. Also included in this inventory is material from the Virginia Board of Education, which Ms. Lampe served on for eight years. Material includes notes and research on sex education and textbook censorship.