An effort by the Office of Education to assist some 900 school districts, through financial aid, with the problems attendant with the final stages of their desegregation plan or the carrying out of a court-ordered plan is discussed. This effort, the Emergency School Assistance Program (ESAP), was evaluated to determine: (1) overall effectiveness, (2) activities which seemed to be achieving greater results, (3) extent to which projects were carried out as planned, (4) effectiveness of DHEW technical assistance, (5) effectiveness of project management, and (6) the role played by the project's Bi-Racial Advisory Committee (BRAC). A sample of 252 of the funded districts was selected to provide a wide mix of areas according to percent minority, grant size, percent of students reassigned, and geography. In each of these districts the project director, and a sample of principals, teachers, and students were personally interviewed. The evaluation plan revolved around the ability of the respondent to perceive change in 12 specifically defined areas related to desegregation. Respondents perceived considerable improvement during the school year in most of the 12 measures of interracial behavior. It varied from about 65% for the formation of interracial friendships to 7% for improved attendance of white students. The degree to which respondents cited a specific ESAP activity as causing a positive change was exceedingly low. (For related documents, see ED 058 470 and ED 058 472.) (Author/CK)