An exploratory, qualitative, and comparative research study concerning sociologically relevant aspects of project Head Start (HS) was conducted in two New York City HS centers. The study investigated (l) the internal organizational development of the HS centers, (2) teacher-parent relations in HS, (3) HS in relation to the family life of the participants, (4) the HS program of organizing parents for group action, (5) organizational relations between HS and the public schools, and (6) the characteristics of the sponsoring agency and the participating population. An inductive method was employed in the study. Theoretical formulations were developed as the project proceeded and were refined as new data were obtained. Data were collected chiefly through observation and informal interviewing. An overview of the first year of the research study is presented in this project report, which includes information concerned with (1) the chronology of activities and of program development, (2) the formulation of research problems, (3) research methods, (4) field procedures, (5) special problems of field work, (6) analytic procedures, (7) a review of findings on two selected problems (internal organizational development and the HS program of organizing parents for group action), and (8) future directions of the project. (JS)