A construct of psychoneurological efficiency provides the guiding framework for developing early identification procedures and compensatory training for Head Start children whose inefficient information processing skills interfere with their cognitive development. Psychoneurological efficiency is the ability to process information through the body awareness and control, visual-perceptual-motor, and language modalities. Interlocking screening tests suitable for administration by the Head Start physician and teacher, have been developed by selecting objective items which predict academic achievement and relate to indices of neurological involvement. Norms are provided for four and one-half to seven and one-half year old children in both the disadvantaged and general populations. The construct of psychoneurological efficiency was investigated by examining the interaction of measures of various psychoneurological inefficiencies with cultural deprivation, neurological improvement, IQ, and academic achievement. (JM)