A pilot study is reported in which the programed materials of the Sullivan Reading Program, used over a 3-year period in an inner-city school, were compared with the traditional approach. In the fall of 1967 all entering grade-1 pupils of Rhoads Elementary School, Philadelphia, were administered the Metropolitan Readiness Test. Twenty-five children were placed in the experimental class; five other classes acted as the control. A group informal reading inventory (levels based on Scott Foresman Reading Series) was administered at the end of each school year during the 3-year study. At the end of the second year a higher percentage of the children in the control group than in the experimental group read at or above grade level on the group informal reading inventory. However, at the end of the third year this trend was reversed. No significant differences between groups were found on the Stanford Achievement Test at the end of the second year. Significant differences were found between the groups on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills at the end of the third year. Charts, tables, and references are included. (WB)