<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>    6
             
<CIK>        0000764860
             
<NAME>    FLAGSHIP INTERMEDIATE TAX EXEMPT FUND
                               
<SERIES>                       
                               
<NUMBER>                       221
                               
<NAME>                         CLASS A
                               
<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>            4,392,230
                                 
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>            4,551,635
                                 
<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>        (1,162,857)
                                 
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>         0
                                 
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>            0
                                 
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>          357,450
                                 
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>      (591,365)
                                 
<SHARES-REINVESTED>              74,510
                                 
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>           17,002
                                 
<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>            10.27
                                 
<PER-SHARE-NII>                  0.26
                                 
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>          0.38
                                 
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>             (0.26)
                                 
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>        0.00
                                 
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>             0.00
                                 
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>              10.65
                                 
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                  0.69
                                 
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>           10,700
                                 
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>             0.00
                                 
        







</TABLE>