The general purpose of this study is to show the legal organization of State school administration. More specifically, it has for its objectives: (1) To describe present legal provisions pertaining to State boards of education and chief State school officers; (2) to show legal relationships between these State agencies; (3) to show trends with respect to State education boards and officers--their qualifications, methods of selection, and terms of office; (4) to set forth the principal powers and duties vested by law in such boards and officers in the respective States; (5) to summarize educational legislative principles and practices, with respect to State school administration; and (6) to present information and conclusions which may be helpful in establishing sound and effective legal structure and organization for the improvement of State school administration. The study is limited chiefly to legal organization and functions of general State boards of education and the chief State school officers. Reference to other and separate State boards having special educational functions is included to indicate such areas of education as have been assigned to special boards or commissions. This study is also limited principally to legal organizations of State school administration for elementary and secondary education. Some information relating to higher education institutions has been included to show the scope of authority vested in the general State board of education and chief State school officer. The sources of information utilized in the compiling of this work were State constitutions, the latest published school codes or session laws of the States, publications of the United States Office of Education, other publications containing source materials, and information supplied by chief State school officers or members of their staffs in State departments of education. Individual sections contain footnotes. This bulletin is presented in 7 Parts, as follows: (1) Part I: Legal Developments Affecting State School Administration; (2) Part II: The State Board of Education; (3) Part III: The Chief State School Officer; (4) Part IV: Legal Relationships and Distribution of Functions; (5) Part V: Characteristic Features of State Educational Agencies and their Powers as Provided by Law; (6) Part VI: Summary of Functions and Duties of State Educational Agencies and Officials; and (7) Part VII; Observations and Conclusions. (Contains 16 tables.) [Best copy available has been provided.]