This interim report presents the background, procedures, and preliminary results of a national survey of Head Start directors and teachers, focusing on the extent of use of developmental assessment procedures and instruments, staff perceptions of their usefulness and of unmet needs, and the relationship of selected variables to the use of assessment procedures and instruments. A review of related literature presents information on the history of Head Start, current legislation, educational accountability, legal trends, issues in testing, and training. Data on developmental assessment practices were collected on two questionnaires sent to 1900 Head Start directors and 1900 Head Start teachers. Results presented here reflect data from 773 teachers and 657 directors from center-based programs. Statistics describing the structural characteristics of the programs, training and experience of teachers, and language and ethnic/racial composition of classes are provided. Other data reported indicate that assessment procedures and instruments are widely used, that observation is regarded as the most useful procedure, and that at least 35% of instruments used are locally developed. Additional findings and an extensive bibliography are included. Appendix is available separately through ERIC. (Author/JMB)