This handbook, structured to facilitate use by policy makers, practitioners, school board members and school staff, contains three parts. Part I presents practical information and an action plan for implementing school improvement and delinquency prevention measures. Chapters 1 and 2 focus on how delinquency affects the U.S. educational system, and on establishing a rationale for school-based delinquency prevention policies and practices. Chapters 3 through 5 present a six-step process to support local boards in selecting non-punitive approaches to discipline and to delinquency prevention, particularly early prevention programs. The process provides for choosing a focus for change, assessing a school's weaknesses and strengths, setting goals and objectives, developing an action plan, implementing chosen strategies, and gauging progress toward improvement. Part II is a compendium of more than 45 in-school improvement and delinquency prevention program models that are currently being implemented in public schools throughout the U.S. This part functions partly as a how-to manual for practitioners, and partly as a resource guide to a network of innovators and experts. Part III, a more extensive resource and reference guide, may be used to assist in planning and evaluating delinquency prevention programs; it includes and annotated list of recommended books, articles, readings, theme-related periodicals and congressional hearings, selected media aids, technical assistance sources, databases and clearinghouses, and development resources. An appendix contains examples of behavioral contracts between students, parents, and schools. (Author/KH)