Basic skills teachers have a legal and moral responsibility to instruct students in reading, writing, and mathematics. The obligations of teachers and principals are extensions of the legal responsibility assumed by the state and local boards of education and practitioners' professional and moral responsibilities. Teachers and principals are primarily responsible for (1) setting instructional and learning objectives and standards, (2) providing competent instruction, (3) accurately measuring and evaluating teaching and learning performance, and (4) establishing excellence as the criterion for staff and student activities. If they fail to fulfill these obligations, educators could face legal action from parents or students claiming educational malpractice, negligence, or fraudulent misrepresentation. Teachers must learn their legal responsibilities in order to protect themselves as well as do the job for which they were hired. Besides improving their understanding by reading widely in the many law sources available or taking a course in school law, teachers must also make sure the school develops and follows a sound basic skills curriculum. (HTH)