This publication combines four sets of guidelines developed in 1980 to give direction to guidance program development in the public schools of Virginia. It consists of loose-leaf sheets color-coded according to whether the items are applicable at all levels (white), for elementary school guidance (beige), for middle schools (blue) or for secondary schools (green). The first section, "Why guidance and counseling programs," discusses the rationale of guidance according to educational, personal-social, and career development outcomes. The goals and objectives of public school guidance and counseling are then presented for elementary schools, middle schools, and secondary schools respectively. The third section describes a systematic approach to school guidance program development: planning, assessing needs, designing the program, and evaluating it. After a guidance program development checklist, a discussion of programmatic conditions and functions is provided. These include counseling (individual and group), group guidance, consultation, coordination, providing information, individual assessment, placement, and program evaluation. The final section describes the roles of other personnel with responsibility for the guidance program: principal, guidance coordinator, district personnel, parents/community, and state guidance services. References are included, and information on the following topics is appended: characteristics of students at developmental levels, theories of human development, school staffing patterns, and counselor professionalism. (TE)