This publication is designed to help members of boards of education understand and work effectively within the requirements of New Jersey's Open Public Meetings Act, also referred to as the Sunshine Law, which requires that the public must be given adequate notice of, and be permitted to attend, meetings of all public bodies empowered by law to spend public funds or affect people's rights. Each provision of the law is discussed separately. The first section defines a "public body" and discusses the conditions that determine whether the law applies to committees, subcommittees, training sessions, joint meetings, and workshops. The second section discusses the public notice requirement, which is satisfied by posting an annual schedule of regular meetings and 48-hour notice of any special meetings. The third section discusses statutory provisions for holding emergency meetings without the required 48-hour notice. Remaining sections discuss statutory provisions for the following: announcements at the opening of meetings that adequate notice has been given, public participation (not required), videotaping of meetings, taking minutes, procedures for closed sessions and subjects that may be discussed therein, and penalties for failure to comply with the law. The closing section, "The Public, The Press, and Boards of Education," provides a set of practical tips for dealing with the press and a list of guidelines for the conduct of public school board meetings. (TE)