Each local board of education and its committee on the handicapped are responsible for serving children who need special education. To assist school board members, this revision of a 1980 publication discusses the legal responsibilities of the boards and committees under Article 89 of the New York State Education Law and Part 200 of the Rules and Regulations of the state's Commissioner of Education. After a brief introduction, the document presents a point-by-point overview of board and committee responsibilities, along with an index to the relevant sections of the law and the regulations. A short examination of the board's relationship to the committee is followed by a discussion of the board's role in locating and identifying children who need special education; developing individualized education programs; assuring nondiscrimination and children's access to special education in the least restrictive environment; providing due process; monitoring policy implementation; and providing staff training. A checklist is presented to help board members assess the status of their district's policies, procedures, and guidelines regarding handicapped children. The final section describes resources available through the New York State Education Department's 46 Special Education Training and Resource Centers. (Author/RW)