Tucson, Arizona's Sunnyside School District pilot bilingual education program is described. The program was begun in 1985 to help prevent academic failure in limited English-proficient, high academic risk students. The pilot program offered sheltered immersion instruction in biology and United States history for language minority students with a history of academic problems. The students in these courses were not required to compete with academically successful peers, but both content area and language needs were addressed. Despite long classes beginning early in the morning, attendance was excellent. The four teachers involved were given pre- and in-service instruction and a follow-up workshop, focusing on specific techniques to make content-area instruction comprehensible and maximize student success. Program students showed high academic achievement in grades and on pre- and post-test comparisons. The greatest gain was in reading comprehension. Student journal entries indicated a generally positive attitude toward the courses and improved self-confidence. (MSE)