Public education consists of various levels of laws, policies, regulations, rules, guidelines, and practices based on the U.S. Constitution. At each level, there is a set of "do's and don'ts" guiding the actions of people involved in public education. This handbook, written to help people understand their rights relating to public education, gives information, ideas and suggestions on how to improve the students' education. Discussed are the education pyramid; legal rights of students and their parents regarding freedom of speech, searches, suspensions and expulsions, dress codes, corporal punishment, student marriage and pregnancy, student records, ability grouping, the educable mentally retarded, bilingual education, Federal programs and discrimination, free lunch program, Freedom of Information Act; how to influence school decisions; evaluation of the curriculum, personnel, school plant and equipment; Texas State education agencies and laws--Texas Education Agency, State Board of Education, State appeals system, State Department of Education, Texas Open Records Act, Texas Open Meetings Act; and how and where to file discrimination complaints. Also included are sample letters for filing Titles VI and IX complaints, for requesting a conference with school personnel, and for requesting permission to speak before the school board; suggestions for dealing with people in the education pyramid; procedures on hearings and appeals; and a checklist for evaluating a school. (NQ)