This guide deals with five areas of interest to bilingual education in California: (1) state mandates that were enacted in response to the Lau v. Nichols Supreme Court decision of 1974; (2) instructional and support services requirements in language development, reading, mathematics, multicultural education, and staff development; (3) other program-related issues, that is, funding, staffing, classroom composition, parental notification, and the establishment of a school advisory committee; (4) three options available to schools in developing their consolidated program plan; and (5) guidelines for a bilingual individual learning program. A list of selected references completes the guide. (AMH)