Public education in the United States is a function of the States. In discharging this responsibility each State has recognized that a considerable degree of local control of education is essential. The establishment of local school districts and the creation of local boards of education to administer school district affairs reflect this point of view. This decentralized control of education places heavy responsibilities on local boards of education. Although State mandatory laws and regulations governing education must be followed, numerous decisions on educational matters have been left to the discretion of local boards. It is not surprising that educational policy making is commonly regarded as the most important function of local school boards. This bulletin is the first in a series of studies on local school board policy. The purpose of this study is to provide information dealing with the characteristics of a number of board manuals. These characteristics have not been presented as recommendations, but rather as an indication of what some boards have considered to be important elements of policy manual. This bulletin is divided into the following chapters: (1) Introduction; (2) General features of the manuals; (3) Board of Education bylaws; (4) Employed personnel administration; (5) The school program; (6) Business management; and (7) School-community relations. (Contains 9 tables and 4 footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.]