This guide for principals examines legal principles guiding public school administrators in their relations with students. It reviews students' rights and administrators' responsibilities in general and then addresses federal and state statutory mandates that afford additional protections to students with disabilities. The section on students' rights and administrators' responsibilities discusses due process, equal protection, first amendment protections, and administrator liability. The section on rights of children with disabilities explores: identification of children with disabilities; procedural safeguards; right to appropriate educational programs; and application of school policies to students with disabilities in connection with disciplinary practices, testing programs, graduation requirements, interscholastic sports, and students' records. (Contains 83 footnotes.) (JDD)