This handbook presents guidelines for establishing adult education programs in county jails while simultaneously describing the establishment of an adult education program in the Bell County Jail in Texas in 1980. The three chapters of the handbook describe the preliminary planning, staff selection, and curriculum development and delivery stages of the Bell County Jail program, which was designed to accomplish the following goals: motivate and inspire both long- and short-term students; offer a diversified curriculum based upon student needs; provide diagnostic testing and General Educational Development (GED) certification; and deliver basic skills remediation in reading, writing, and mathematics. In addition, the second chapter lists 12 steps on planning and implementing an adult education program in a county jail, and the third chapter offers 12 guidelines for establishing a student-centered curriculum and evaluating a county jail education program. (MN)