School food service should be considered a vital aspect of school operations, not an appendage to the educational program. This handbook revolves around the federal Child Nutrition and National School Lunch program serving about 24 million pupils daily in over 90 percent of the nation's 89,200 public schools. The booklet helps explain various rules and regulations governing these and other federal nutrition programs and their management at state and local levels. The first chapter discusses the different responsibility levels and highlights the special populations served (Head Start, handicapped, and allergic youngsters) and various management approaches. The second chapter, on financial management, considers revenue sources, pricing, recordkeeping, budgets, and other functions. The third chapter, on personnel, covers job descriptions, responsibilities and qualifications, employment practices and procedures, and staffing and classification. The fourth chapter discusses production and service operations, while the fifth chapter covers food purchasing, storage, and inventory control. The final chapter, on sanitation and safety, looks at food and chemical poisoning and ways to prevent it. Also included are appendices on state administrative review, federal procurement standards, and invitations to bid. (MLH)