In planning any new reading program, teachers should know exactly what they want to accomplish. This requires careful identification of overall goals and objectives. During this first step in planning, all of the teachers who will be affected by the program should submit lists of the reading skills that they believe are pertinent at their grade level. After several rounds of revisions, the teachers are likely to produce a scope and sequence of skills that leave no doubt about the placement of skills at various grade levels and fit the needs of the students. Next, student observation, formal assessments, and interviews with parents,teachers, and students should be used to gather information about students' needs. The third step involves instructional procedures--all of the decisions relating to how to teach once a decision has been made about what to teach. Finally, the program planner needs to make available to teachers a variety of resource materials, extending beyond the basal series to include paperback supplements and teacher-made materials. By taking into consideration all of these components and by helping the teachers feel a sense of ownership in all aspects of the planning, a reading program can be developed to address the cognitive and affective needs of students. (HOD)