Information from the California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS) is available to the state education department, other state agencies, educators, administrators, professional organizations, universities, and research organizations. This guidebook briefly profiles CBEDS and notes the legal standards governing the use of the data. CBEDS information, according to the guide, is collected at the district, school, and professional staff levels and covers enrollment, staffing, alternative schools, collective bargaining, school graduates, school meals, characteristics of teachers' classes, and personal demographic, educational, and occupational data. The two types of CBEDS reports--standard reports required by law and ad hoc reports requested by organizations--are described. Guidelines are provided on data availability and on application procedures. A CBEDS data request form is appended. (Author/RW)