Each year, half a million teenagers become mothers in the United States. School-based child care programs are a positive way for educational institutions to encourage young mothers to return to or stay in school, prepare for employment, and acquire accurate information about child development and appropriate parenting practices. This handbook was designed to be a practical "how-to" guide for creating school-based child care centers. It leads the reader through all phases of the development process, including support strategies, staffing, program and policies, funding, and evaluation. In developing the handbook, staff from the Academy for Educational Development's Support Center for Educational Equity for Young Mothers conducted a thorough survey of the program history, philosophy, and delivery arrangements in many school-based child care programs throughout the country. Six sites representing a diversity of settings and approaches were selected for intensive investigation, including in-depth interviews with key actors --motivators, innovators, strategists, program planners, care givers, and student parents. The guide describes how each center began, how it gained acceptance in the school community, and how it became an excellent program. It includes advice from those who have organized and operated such centers. An extensive list of additional resources makes up the final chapter. (KC)