The papers presented at this conference review current research on effective educational practices for low-achieving students and identify those that might be applied to programs funded under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981. A function assumed by several conference participants was to act as reactor to papers written for a particular session. Critiqued in this report are five papers presented at the session. The papers bring out two salient points. First, the papers taken together state essentially that the way reading and math is being handled in most Chapter 1 programs is ultimately dysfunctional for the target children, but that the addition of a separate thinking skills program would be welcome. Second, two of the papers indicate that the research designed to develop generic principles of instruction does not yield specific prescriptions for teaching but rather has generated a set of concepts which are useful in deliberating about teaching decisions in particular contexts. The report goes on to discuss the following issues pointed out by the assessment papers: (1) goals for Chapter 1 students; (2) characteristics of the learners; (3) subject matter; (4) the role of the teacher; and (5) milieu. Though the papers offer no simple solutions, they raise critical questions about such topics as minimum standards, individual differences, test-driven instructional strategies, and equity and excellence. A list of references is included. (PS)