SIXTEEN PROGRAMS CONDUCTED IN THE FIRST YEAR OF A 5 YEAR PROJECT INCLUDED CITY, VILLAGE, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL SCHOOLS FROM THE ELEMENTARY THROUGH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. THE STUDENTS IN DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS--WERE FROM DETERIORATING SLUM AREAS OF LARGE CITIES, WERE CHILDREN OF FAMILIES OF RECENT IN-MIGRANTS FROM THE SOUTH OR PUERTO RICO, WERE MEMBERS OF ETHNIC, NATIONALITY OR MINORITY GROUPS, OR WERE IN SOME WAY CHARACTERIZED BY CULTURAL DISADVANTAGEMENT. PROGRAMS USED SEVERAL APPROACHES, FREQUENTLY IN COMBINATION--SMALL CLASSES, REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION, TUTORIAL INSTRUCTION, FIELD TRIPS, COMMUNITY RESOURCES, SPECIAL PARENT MEETINGS, AND ADULT EDUCATION COURSES. TEN OF THE SIXTEEN PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. EVALUATION METHODS AND TECHNIQUES PROPOSED WERE AS VARIED AS THE PROJECTS THEMSELVES. EVALUATION WAS USUALLY MADE BY USE OF CONTROL GROUPINGS, "BEFORE AND AFTER" TECHNIQUES, AND COMPARISON METHODS. AT THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR, SEVERAL CONCLUSIONS SEEM WARRANTED--SCHOOL DISTRICTS SERVING THE CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED WERE NOT LIMITED TO ONE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE STATE OR TO ONE TYPE OF COMMUNITY, THE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS WERE THE MOST PROMISING, DISTRICTS WERE HAVING GREATEST DIFFICULTY IN DETERMINING THE NATURE OF THE EFFECTS OF IMPOVERISHMENT, GREATEST STRIDES MADE DURING THE FIRST YEAR WERE WITH FACULTY AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE ALTERED THEIR VIEWS CONCERNING THE POTENTIALITIES OF THE PUPILS INVOLVED, AND PARENTAL SUPPORT TO THE PROJECT WAS GRATIFYING. NUMEROUS CHARTS, TABLES, AND THE 1961 ANNOUNCEMENT LETTER OF THE PROJECT ARE INCLUDED.