<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>     6
              
<CIK>         0000764860
                         
<NAME>  FLAGSHIP INTERMEDIATE TAX EXEMPT FUND
                              
<SERIES>
                              
<NUMBER>                      223
                              
<NAME>                        CLASS C
                              
<MULTIPLIER>                  1
                              
                              
                              
<S>                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>              6-MOS
                           
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>          MAY-31-1997
                           
<PERIOD-START>             JUN-01-1996
                           
<PERIOD-END>               NOV-30-1996
                           
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>      47,460,401
                           
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>     49,747,761
                           
<RECEIVABLES>              232,659
                           
<ASSETS-OTHER>             861,030
                           
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>       0
                           
<TOTAL-ASSETS>             50,841,450
                           
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>   1,538,250
                           
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>    0
                           
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>  258,806
                           
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>        1,797,056
                           
<SENIOR-EQUITY>            0
                           
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>   47,151,444
                           
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>      214,560
                           
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>      115,505
                           
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>  0
                           
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>     (2,404)
                           
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>    (392,006)
                           
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>   0
                           
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>   2,287,360
                           
<NET-ASSETS>               49,044,394
                           
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>          0
                           
<INTEREST-INCOME>          1,368,072
                           
<OTHER-INCOME>             0
                           
<EXPENSES-NET>             (171,534)
                           
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>    1,196,538
                           
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>   50,739
                           
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>  1,711,007
                           
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>      2,958,284
                           
<EQUALIZATION>             0
                           
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>  (36,085)
                           
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>   0
                           
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>      0
                           
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>    113,474
                           
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (16,755)
                            
<SHARES-REINVESTED>         2,336
                            
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>      1,098,629
                            
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>     0
                            
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>   (442,745)
                            
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>     0
                            
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>  0
                            
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>       121,807
                            
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>          0
                            
<GROSS-EXPENSE>             309,839
                            
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>        48,589,708
                            
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>       10.28
                            
<PER-SHARE-NII>             0.22
                            
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>     0.38
                            
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>        (0.23)
                            
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>   0.00
                            
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>        0.00
                            
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>         10.65
                            
<EXPENSE-RATIO>             1.24
                            
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>      10,700
                            
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>        0.00
                            
        







</TABLE>