A research project introduced changes into the kindergarten and 1st grade instructional programs of a developmental school. The purposes were to implement an adaptive instructional system which would teach children the basic psychological processes relevant to 1st grade reading and math achievement and which would accommodate individual differences among learners. Over a five year period researchers collected I.Q. data from the Otis-Lennon Mental Abilities Test and achievement data from the Stanford Achievement Test. The data indicated that, over time, the reading and math achievement scores of 1st graders rose significantly, while I.Q.s remained constant. Also, fewer children achieved below grade level and the percentage of variance in achievement scores explained by I. Q. scores dropped greatly. Thus, it was concluded that the adaptive instructional program increased achievement and lowered the predictive validity of I. Q. scores. It remained to be determined exactly which specific aspects of the innovative program contributed most to the maximization of the educational outcome. (Author/PB)