A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS SENT TO ONE-HALF OF ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE UNITED STATES WITH ENROLLMENTS OF OVER 10,000 PUPILS. RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED FROM APPROXIMATELY 34 PERCENT OF THE 363 DISTRICTS POLLED. SURVEY FINDINGS INDICATE THAT APPROXIMATELY 40 OF EVERY 100,000 SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN ARE ABUSED PHYSICALLY BY THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS. HOWEVER, THE INCIDENCE OF SEVERE PHYSICAL INJURY AMONG ABUSED SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN APPEARS TO BE SMALL COMPARED TO THAT FOR ABUSED INFANTS. MORE ADMINISTRATORS THAN OTHER SCHOOL PERSONNEL (TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, NURSES) REPORTED THAT THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING CASES OF SUSPECTED ABUSE. IN SOME INSTANCES, INADEQUATE PROCEDURES APPEARED TO CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS THAN A TOTAL LACK OF PROCEDURES. SEVERAL RESPONSES INDICATED POOR COOPERATION BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES. ALTHOUGH MANY EDUCATORS APPARENTLY ARE POORLY INFORMED ABOUT CHILD ABUSE, THERE APPEARS TO BE A DESIRE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND TO IMPROVE PROCEDURES FOR PROTECTING CHILDREN. A SCHOOL SYSTEM'S PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING ABUSE SHOULD INCLUDE SPECIAL TRAINING TO HELP TEACHERS RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF PHYSICAL ABUSE AND SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS REQUIRING TEACHERS TO REPORT ALL CASES OF SUSPECTED ABUSE TO A DESIGNATED PERSON IN THE SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL PHYSICIAN SHOULD EXAMINE EACH CHILD FOR WHOM ABUSE IS SUSPECTED, INTERVIEW THE CHILD'S PARENTS, AND REPORT THE CASE TO THE PROPER AGENCY. THE SCHOOL SHOULD OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND COOPERATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A THERAPEUTIC PLAN FOR EACH ABUSED CHILD. A FOLLOWUP SYSTEM SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE THERAPEUTIC PLAN IS WORKING. NO TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)