This manual provides guidance to Idaho school districts in identifying students with serious emotional disturbances (SED), as defined by federal and state laws and regulations. Sections 1, 2, and 3 of the guide describe SED in the context of various factors, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and state regulations. Sections 4 and 5 identify the components contained in the federal regulation on SED, describe how each of these components has been defined by hearing officers and courts, and give examples of how students have met particular components of the federal regulation on SED. Section 6 discusses schizophrenia, the only condition which automatically qualifies a students as having SED. Sections 7, 8, and 9 provide information on particularly contentious topics within a discussion of SED, including social maladjustment, conduct disorder, and mental disorders. Sections 10 and 11 present case studies showing how the components of the federal regulation on SED, school officials, parents, hearing officers, and courts interact in determining whether a student has met the federal definition of SED. The guide cites federal policy letters and refers to case law from various courts around the nation. (CR)