Established in September 1967 and funded under ESEA Title I and Title III, the Pennsylvania Advancement School (PAS) is a non-profit corporation under contract to the School District of Philadelphia. Funds from the Education Professions Development Act and from private foundations have been used to support small projects initiated by the school. About 200 underachieving boys, were selected from the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades of Philadelphia public and parochial schools. During the first two years of PAS, boys remained for a 14-week term; currently the students attend for an entire school year. The PAS program also includes curriculum development, intern training, and staff development activities. During 1970-71, PAS is helping to prepare a core staff group for the opening of a new middle school in September of 1971. In its external staff development program, PAS works closely with groups of teachers and administrators in six Philadelphia public schools, helping each to plan and operate semi-autonomous units called "minischools." PAS conducts an intensive summer program for these groups and several PAS staff members are assigned full-time to help the minischools during the school year. (Author/JM)