The report of a 3-year project in Santa Cruz, California to develop guidelines for determination of special education program funding levels is presented. The project has resulted in the Santa Cruz Behavioral Characteristics Progression (BCP) which aids the teacher in pupil assessment and the Santa Cruz Task Base Composite (TBC) which helps the administrator describe and relate staff tasks to pupil behavioral objectives. The BCP is reported to be the basis for diagnostic and remedial efforts replacing conventional labeling practices and to serve as an assessment, instructional, and communication tool. The BCP chart is grouped into categories referred to as behavioral strands and is reported to have been used with approximately 1700 students. The TBC is explained to serve as an assessment, planning, and communication tool for staffing and administrative decisions. Approximately 700 progressive tasks, defined as activities of a program staff member, are arranged in chart form in the TBC which has been field tested in Santa Cruz County. (For additional information see EC 060 317, EC 060 318, and EC 060 319.) (DB)