THIS HANDBOOK FOR STATE AND LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS WAS PREPARED TO PROVIDE A GUIDE FOR ITEMS OF INFORMATION USED IN KEEPING RECORDS AND MAKING REPORTS ABOUT CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION. IT IS CONCERNED WITH DESCRIBING INSTRUCTION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, SECONDARY SCHOOLS, JUNIOR COLLEGE, AND ADULT SCHOOLS OR OTHER ADULT-EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS. IT CLASSIFIES AND DEFINES SPECIFIC ITEMS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION, ADMINISTRATION, CONTENT, RESOURCES, AND PROCESSES OF INSTRUCTION AND INCLUDES RELATED TERMINOLOGY. THE HANDBOOK WAS DEVELOPED SO ITEMS PRESENTED WILL BE COMPARABLE WHEREVER COLLECTED, MAINTAINED, AND REPORTED BY DISTRICTS AND BY OTHER UNITS OPERATING SCHOOLS. INSTRUCTIONS DIRECTED TOWARD USERS OF THE HANDBOOK STATE THAT COLLECTING OF INFORMATION SHOULD BE DONE ON THE BASIS OF THE DEFINITIONS PROVIDED IN THIS HANDBOOK, AND REPORTING SHOULD BE DONE ON THE BASIS OF THE HANDBOOK TERMINOLOGY. WHEN USED IN THIS WAY, THE HANDBOOK CAN PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR RECORDS AND REPORTS ABOUT CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS, AND CAN PROVIDE A MEANS FOR ACCURATELY RECORDING, TRANSMITTING, AND INTERPRETING INFORMATION ABOUT CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION. (AL)