Purchasing, one of the most highly specialized activities in school administration, involves securing material or service in the right quantity and quality, at the right time, and for the right price. This handbook, intended as a guide for purchasing agents, details principles essential for operating a school purchasing office in New York State. The first chapter explains steps in the purchasing function, and the second chapter discusses the relationship of purchasing to other school functions, such as educational services, the finance department, accounting, the building or maintenance department, and the legal department. Chapter 3 details purchasing procedures, and chapter 4 treats the rudiments of competitive purchasing. Chapter 5 covers purchasing through agencies other than vendors, and the final chapter discusses purchasing forms, records, and recommendations. A glossary of terms is included, along with 12 appendices providing a sample position description, a sample appointment resolution, an outline of the requisition procedure, and numerous other sample forms. An index is also provided. (MLH)