The handbook is designed to help Colorado school systems address the linguistic and educational needs of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students and to provide administrators, school boards members, and educators with resources for understanding state and federal requirements. It is intended to help design and establish local policies and practices, design and implement instructional programs, support teacher and staff professional development, maintain sound coordination and communication practices, and evaluate their efforts to educate LEP students. Chapters: define key terms and acronyms and offer a historical perspective on issues leading to the handbook's development; outline legal and judicial mandates concerning the education of LEP students; discuss mandates with a direct bearing on assuring equity and educational opportunity; discuss development of instructional strategies to meet LEP students' linguistic needs; suggest processes for LEP student identification, assessment, service delivery, placement review, and reclassification/exit; discuss instructional strategies and methods for content-area and bilingual/English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers; examine staff development at all levels and teacher certification issues; offer ideas on coordination with federal programs, state initiatives, and local resources; and outline program evaluation procedures. Resource information is appended. Contains 59 references. (MSE)