While the California State Department of Education (SDE) holds the primary responsibility for the success of the California educational system, the Federal Government also supports state and local educational activities. The intent of this document is to assist local educators in understanding federal education programs and communicating with the appropriate state and federal contacts. The guide includes the following sections: (1) "Federal Liaison Office" (FLO), which describes the role of FLO in SDE and on Capitol Hill; (2) "Contacting Members of Congress," which outlines methods for communicating with Congress and current education information sources; (3) "Federally Funded Programs," which describes major federally funded education programs and their current appropriations; (4) "Federal Budget and Appropriations Process," which briefly explains how the federal budget and appropriations process works, including the current budget timetable; and (5) "Congressional Members and Committee," which contains congressional members (specific to school district) and congressional committees. (DB)