The purpose of this handbook is to give both new and veteran California school board members a guide to the process of collective bargaining. In general, the board's role in collective bargaining is defined as including developing goals, selecting the board's representative, developing parameters, maintaining communications with the public, planning for emergencies, and creating guidelines for administering the contract. The role of the school board in collective bargaining and the chief negotiator's responsibilities are explained. Reasons are given for having neither the superintendent nor board members negotiate. Some general rules for effective employment relations communication are given along with specific suggestions for school district communication with the community, district staff, management employees, and nonmanagement employees. Guidelines for establishing a positive employee relations program are provided. The appendices contain a glossary; an overview of the Educational Employment Relations Act (California); and an explanation of "impasse procedures," mechanisms in the law that include mediation and fact finding. (Author/MLF)