The purpose of this monograph, which is aimed at educational planners, is to explain the essential aspects of the relationship between planning and law. It is intended to illustrate the role of law in the planning and administration of school systems and thus familiarize education specialists with the tools needed to understand legal administration rules for school systems. It presents its points using the French situation as a model, which is representative of a sociopolitical system where law plays an exceptional role in the field of education, including higher education, reflected both in the sheer amount of legislation and its judicial interpretation and in the influence the legislation exerts. Several topical themes--including decentralization, decision-making procedures, administrative organization, contractual procedures, and conflict resolution--are discussed in detail. Chapter titles reveal the monograph's primary areas of focus: (1) "Preliminary Definitions: Planning, Administration, Legal Aspects"; (2) "Why a Legal Framework?"; (3) "Legally Determining the Competent Authorities"; (4) "Legally Determining Planning and Administration Instruments"; (5) "Legally Determining Basic Rules"; and (6) "Legally Determining Planning and Administration Procedures." (WFA)