Due to Alaska's unique culture, geography and history there are various State and Federal laws affecting the education of Alaskan children, especially Native children. Under these laws, several kinds of school systems operate for rural Alaska communities--Bureau of Indian Affairs, Regional Education Attendance Areas, city and borough districts, denominational schools, community (tribally) controlled private, and boarding programs. There are laws for funding special programs (i.e., bilingual education, reading improvement, free lunches) and laws which specifically aid Indian and Native education (i.e., the Indian Education Act, Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Johnson-O'Malley Act). Because many of the laws are new and many people who will be on boards and committees are new to their jobs, some basic information on legal matters is needed. Prepared with advice and suggestions from parents and community leaders in rural areas and from professional educators, this booklet is designed to help supply a background and understanding of the laws which are important to education in rural Alaska. The two sections provide basic information about the kinds of school systems operating in rural Alaska; give answers to questions about funding programs, student and teacher rights, community control, bilingual education, administration, and legal liability; and provide definitions for often-used terms which appear in italics whenever they are used in the booklet. (NQ)