The importance of long-term planning, and undesirable conditions resulting from failure to plan, are stressed. General procedures named as essential are--(1) the official approval of the Board of Education before the administration proceeds with long-range planning, (2) the design of the school plant around the educational program it is to serve, (3) determination of school enrollments, (4) determination of plant needs, (5) appraisal of existing facilities, (6) formulation of a master plan, including a list of present and projected buildings, a time schedule for all identified construction needs, a list of needed sites and site improvements, and cost estimates, (7) estimation of costs and appraisal of resources--the final step to avoid compromising the quality and adequacy of a projected program by over-concern for costs. The guide includes charts for making a population projection and for planning a program of school plant construction. (BD)