<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 05/31/99
000 C000000 000763856
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 VAN KAMPEN TAX-EXEMPT TRUST
001 B000000 811-04746
001 C000000 6306846000
002 A000000 1 PARKVIEW PLAZA
002 B000000 OAKBROOK TERRACE
002 C000000 IL
002 D010000 60181
002 D020000 5555
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 1
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 HIGH YIELD MUNICIPAL FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
020 A000001 CHICAGO CORP
020 B000001 36-2549961
020 C000001 3
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 3
022 A000001 PAINE WEBBER
022 B000001 13-2638166
022 C000001 36500
<PAGE> PAGE 2
022 D000001 40779
022 A000002 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000002 13-2518466
022 C000002 33700
022 D000002 35500
022 A000003 ZIEGLER SECURITIES
022 B000003 39-0727640
022 C000003 29064
022 D000003 8019
022 A000004 SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
022 B000004 13-1912900
022 C000004 9000
022 D000004 21655
022 A000005 FIRST ALBANY
022 B000005 14-1391446
022 C000005 7100
022 D000005 15495
022 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH
022 B000006 13-5674085
022 C000006 13350
022 D000006 9090
022 A000007 J.P. MORGAN
022 B000007 13-3224016
022 C000007 6978
022 D000007 13536
022 A000008 TUCKER ANTHONY
022 B000008 04-2566229
022 C000008 17255
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 PIPER JAFFRAY
022 B000009 41-0953246
022 C000009 11282
022 D000009 3115
022 A000010 GMS GROUP INC
022 C000010 11214
022 D000010 1988
023 C000000 274988
023 D000000 222229
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 3
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 N
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 N
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 N
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 N
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 N
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 N
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
077 A000000 N
078 000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
008 A000101 VAN KAMPEN ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000101 A
008 C000101 801-8286
008 D010101 OAKBROOK TERRACE
008 D020101 IL
008 D030101 60181
008 D040101 5555
008 A000102 VAN KAMPEN ADVISORS, INC.
008 B000102 S
008 C000102 801-0000
008 D010102 OAKBROOK TERRACE
008 D020102 IL
008 D030102 60181
008 D040102 5555
011 A000101 VAN KAMPEN FUNDS, INC.
011 B000101 8-19412
011 C010101 OAKBROOK TERRACE
011 C020101 IL
011 C030101 60181
011 C040101 5555
012 A000101 VAN KAMPEN INVESTOR SERVICES INC.
012 B000101 84-01621
012 C010101 KANSAS CITY
012 C020101 MO
012 C030101 64141
012 C040101 9256
013 A000101 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPER
013 B010101 HOUSTON
013 B020101 TX
013 B030101 77002
014 A000101 MORGAN STANLEY & CO., INCORPORATED
014 B000101 8-73537
014 A000102 DEAN WITTER REYNOLDS, INC.
014 B000102 8-728181
015 A000101 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST CO.
015 B000101 C
015 C010101 BOSTON
015 C020101 MA
015 C030101 02105
015 E010101 X
018 000100 Y
019 A000100 Y
019 B000100 118
019 C000100 VANKAMPENF
024 000100 N
028 A010100 24038
028 A020100 3155
<PAGE> PAGE 5
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 17570
028 B010100 20542
028 B020100 3057
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 14259
028 C010100 25813
028 C020100 3041
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 24766
028 D010100 17835
028 D020100 3039
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 15959
028 E010100 10654
028 E020100 3040
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 15412
028 F010100 12879
028 F020100 3017
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 19445
028 G010100 111761
028 G020100 18349
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 107411
028 H000100 55104
029 000100 Y
030 A000100 1004
030 B000100 0.00
030 C000100 0.00
031 A000100 89
031 B000100 0
032 000100 915
033 000100 0
034 000100 Y
035 000100 266
036 A000100 Y
036 B000100 0
037 000100 N
038 000100 0
039 000100 N
040 000100 Y
041 000100 Y
042 A000100 0
042 B000100 0
042 C000100 52
042 D000100 48
042 E000100 0
042 F000100 0
042 G000100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
042 H000100 0
043 000100 3535
044 000100 0
045 000100 Y
046 000100 N
047 000100 Y
048 000100 0.000
048 A010100 300000
048 A020100 0.600
048 B010100 300000
048 B020100 0.550
048 C010100 0
048 C020100 0.000
048 D010100 0
048 D020100 0.000
048 E010100 0
048 E020100 0.000
048 F010100 0
048 F020100 0.000
048 G010100 0
048 G020100 0.000
048 H010100 0
048 H020100 0.000
048 I010100 0
048 I020100 0.000
048 J010100 0
048 J020100 0.000
048 K010100 600000
048 K020100 0.500
049 000100 N
050 000100 N
051 000100 N
052 000100 N
053 A000100 Y
053 B000100 Y
054 A000100 Y
054 B000100 N
054 C000100 N
054 D000100 N
054 E000100 N
054 F000100 N
054 G000100 Y
054 H000100 Y
054 I000100 N
054 J000100 Y
054 K000100 N
054 L000100 N
054 M000100 Y
054 N000100 N
054 O000100 Y
055 A000100 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
055 B000100 N
056 000100 N
057 000100 N
058 A000100 N
059 000100 Y
060 A000100 Y
060 B000100 Y
061 000100 500
062 A000100 Y
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.0
062 D000100 0.0
062 E000100 0.1
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 0.0
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 2.0
062 M000100 0.0
062 N000100 0.0
062 O000100 97.9
062 P000100 0.0
062 Q000100 0.0
062 R000100 0.0
063 A000100 0
063 B000100 20.2
064 A000100 Y
064 B000100 N
066 A000100 N
067 000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069 000100 N
071 A000100 178288
071 B000100 147897
071 C000100 1454920
071 D000100 10
072 A000100 6
072 B000100 50558
072 C000100 0
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 3915
072 G000100 0
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 440
072 J000100 49
072 K000100 0
072 L000100 47
<PAGE> PAGE 8
072 M000100 26
072 N000100 105
072 O000100 0
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 163
072 R000100 20
072 S000100 24
072 T000100 3923
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 33
072 X000100 8745
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072 Z000100 41813
072AA000100 3993
072BB000100 0
072CC010100 0
072CC020100 19543
072DD010100 26897
072DD020100 11312
072EE000100 0
073 A010100 0.3380
073 A020100 0.2960
073 B000100 0.0000
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 47
074 B000100 0
074 C000100 1610
074 D000100 1444528
074 E000100 0
074 F000100 0
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 0
074 J000100 6858
074 K000100 0
074 L000100 32882
074 M000100 50
074 N000100 1485975
074 O000100 2964
074 P000100 837
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 6826
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 1475348
074 U010100 80638
074 U020100 37391
074 V010100 11.55
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 V020100 11.54
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 30734
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SIGNATURE WESTON B. WETHERELL
TITLE ATTORNEY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
<F1> This item relates to the Fund on a composite
basis and not on a class basis
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 11
<NAME> HIGH YIELD MUNI A
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> NOV-30-1999
<PERIOD-START> DEC-01-1998
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 1,384,484,514 <F1>
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,446,138,223 <F1>
<RECEIVABLES> 39,739,707 <F1>
<ASSETS-OTHER> 49,411 <F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 47,104 <F1>
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,485,974,445 <F1>
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 2,964,210 <F1>
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0 <F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 7,662,619 <F1>
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 10,626,829 <F1>
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 903,306,574
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 80,637,897
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 77,580,797
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 288,379 <F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 <F1>
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (11,548,621)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 <F1>
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 61,662,100 <F1>
<NET-ASSETS> 931,310,371
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0 <F1>
<INTEREST-INCOME> 50,557,450 <F1>
<OTHER-INCOME> 0 <F1>
<EXPENSES-NET> (8,744,918)<F1>
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 41,812,532 <F1>
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 3,992,851 <F1>
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (19,542,996)<F1>
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 26,262,387 <F1>
<EQUALIZATION> 0 <F1>
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (26,897,007)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 7,068,453
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (5,052,465)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 1,041,112
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 26,336,792
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> (441,772)<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (15,541,472)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0 <F1>
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <F1>
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 3,914,514 <F1>
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 <F1>
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 8,744,918 <F1>
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 924,148,177
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.664
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.344
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.121)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.338)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 11.549
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.90
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
<F1> This item relates to the Fund on a composite
basis and not on a class basis
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 12
<NAME> HIGH YIELD MUNI B
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> NOV-30-1999
<PERIOD-START> DEC-01-1998
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 1,384,484,514 <F1>
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,446,138,223 <F1>
<RECEIVABLES> 39,739,707 <F1>
<ASSETS-OTHER> 49,411 <F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 47,104 <F1>
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,485,974,445 <F1>
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 2,964,210 <F1>
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0 <F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 7,662,619 <F1>
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 10,626,829 <F1>
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 412,815,622
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 37,390,623
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 38,760,934
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 288,379 <F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 <F1>
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (11,548,621)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 <F1>
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 61,662,100 <F1>
<NET-ASSETS> 431,532,811
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0 <F1>
<INTEREST-INCOME> 50,557,450 <F1>
<OTHER-INCOME> 0 <F1>
<EXPENSES-NET> (8,744,918)<F1>
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 41,812,532 <F1>
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 3,992,851 <F1>
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (19,542,996)<F1>
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 26,262,387 <F1>
<EQUALIZATION> 0 <F1>
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (11,312,269)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 1,759,380
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (3,542,138)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 412,447
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (20,358,494)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> (441,772)<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (15,541,472)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0 <F1>
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <F1>
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 3,914,514 <F1>
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 <F1>
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 8,744,918 <F1>
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 443,447,520
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.658
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.300
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.121)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.296)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 11.541
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.65
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
<F1> This item relates to the Fund on a composite
basis and not on a class basis
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 13
<NAME> HIGH YIELD MUNI C
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> NOV-30-1999
<PERIOD-START> DEC-01-1998
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-1999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 1,384,484,514 <F1>
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 1,446,138,223 <F1>
<RECEIVABLES> 39,739,707 <F1>
<ASSETS-OTHER> 49,411 <F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 47,104 <F1>
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,485,974,445 <F1>
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 2,964,210 <F1>
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0 <F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 7,662,619 <F1>
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 10,626,829 <F1>
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 108,823,562
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 9,758,734
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 9,497,974
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 288,379 <F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 <F1>
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (11,548,621)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 <F1>
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 61,662,100 <F1>
<NET-ASSETS> 112,504,434
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0 <F1>
<INTEREST-INCOME> 50,557,450 <F1>
<OTHER-INCOME> 0 <F1>
<EXPENSES-NET> (8,744,918)<F1>
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 41,812,532 <F1>
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 3,992,851 <F1>
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (19,542,996)<F1>
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 26,262,387 <F1>
<EQUALIZATION> 0 <F1>
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (2,873,105)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 793,564
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (660,513)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 127,709
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 1,890,967
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> (441,772)<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (15,541,472)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0 <F1>
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <F1>
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 3,914,514 <F1>
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 <F1>
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 8,744,918 <F1>
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 112,588,285
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.646
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.301
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.122)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.296)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 11.529
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.65
</TABLE>
