COMPENSATORY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, REPRESENTED IN THIS STUDY BY THE EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM OF YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN, ARE THOUGHT TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE IF BOTH THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD ARE INVOLVED. THEREFORE, THE YPSILANTI PROGRAM INCLUDES, BESIDES 4 HALF-DAY SCHOOL SESSIONS, A 1/1/2 HOUR TUTORIAL SESSION EVERY OTHER WEEK IN THE CHILD'S HOME BY THE SCHOOL TEACHER. AT THIS SESSION, THE MOTHER IS TO BE PRESENT AND, HOPEFULLY, PARTICIPATING. THERE ARE 100 4-YEAR-OLD LOW-INCOME CHILDREN IN THE YPSILANTI PROGRAM. THE MOTHERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND AN 18-WEEK GROUP SESSION IN WHICH THEY ARE INSTRUCTED IN THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF CHILD REARING, INCLUDING CHILD EDUCATION. THE EFFECT OF THE YPSILANTI PROGRAM ON THE MOTHERS OF THE PARTICIPATING CHILDREN IS INTENDED TO BE SOCIAL INFLUENCE, A GRADUAL BUT RELATIVELY SUPERFICIAL CHANGE IN THE MOTHERS' ATTITUDES AND PERSPECTIVIES TOWARDS MIDDLE-CLASS EDUCATIONAL VALUES. IT IS HOPED THE CHANGE WILL BE POSITIVE, THAT IS, THAT THE MOTHERS WILL ACCEPT THESE VALUES AND SUPPORT THEM. THE PROCESS WHICH THE CHILDREN ARE EXPERIENCING BY PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO BE SOMETHING MORE THAN SOCIAL INFLUENCE. IT IS INTENDED TO BE A SOCIALIZATION PROCESS, THE INTERNALIZATION OF THE VALUES AND BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. THE YPSILANTI PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO INTERVENE IN THE DEVELOPMENT IN LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS CHILDREN OF ATTITUDES AND BASIC SKILLS INCOMPATIBLE WITH MIDDLE-CLASS EDUCATIONAL VAUES NECESSARY FOR GENERAL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE PROGRAM'S HOPE OF SUBSTITUTING MIDDLE-CLASS EDUCATIONAL VALUES AND MOTIVATIONS FOR THE LOWER-CLASS CHILD'S ATTITUDE TOWARD SCHOOL. (WD)