A summary of the research on adult literacy indicated factors which make an effective program: recruitment of students centered on personal contacts, individual intake conferences, and sensitive and compassionate teachers with high morale about the program. A summary of the research in preschool literacy programs stressed that factors associated with parents, family, or home environment have a greater impact on achievement than school-related factors. A repeated theme in the research was the need to provide preschoolers with lots of reading and other language arts experiences. The most common model of intergenerational literacy programs involved training parents in the development of their children's literacy. The model used for the Even Start legislation combines adult literacy, preschool education, and parent training. Progress of the adult and family as a learning unit is a major goal; activities are provided to foster general literacy, self-esteem growth, and parent-child literacy experiences. Suggestions for planning an Even Start program include: (1) conduct an assessment of adult and preschool literacy needs in the community; (2) establish priorities based on the needs identified; use these priorities to set objectives for the program; (3) based on the objectives, design the Even Start program; (4) plan the program evaluation as part of the program design; and (5) implement the program as planned, and make refinements and changes as indicated and necessary. (One appendix includes suggestions for planning an Even Start program; 20 references and a copy of"Integenerational Literacy Programs: Even Start" (a set of program guidelines detailing the requirements of the legislation) are attached. (MG)