The purpose of the study was to describe ways in which disadvantaged children differ from their more advantaged peers in the areas of cognitive and affective developmental patterns, and to use this description to restructure curricular experiences for disadvantaged children. Five groups of approximately 30 preschool children each were tested three times with a battery of instruments. The instrument package, broken down into seven subsets, was designed to test a variety of developmental tasks. The appendixes describe the instruments used. Disadvantaged groups of children performed at lower levels in all measured areas of cognitive functioning, contrary to the investigators' expectations. Therefore, areas of serious deficit must be identified and tasks designed to build and improve these areas. The effects attributable to Head Start seem to be those changes which occur during the first weeks of any formal school program. Improvement in self-concept occurred in two of the five groups, which may be attributed to the integration of disadvantaged with advantaged children in those groups. Advantaged children are currently excluded from needed programs. Economic criteria provide an inaccurate basis for the allocation of funds to equalize educational opportunity, thus funding should be allocated according to the needs of diverse groups. (DR)