In the Florida Community College System (FCCS) the Associate in Arts (A.A.) program provides students with a two-year transfer degree. In an effort to determine the need for state initiatives, policy changes, and funding priorities, a program review was conducted which examined a series of 19 issues regarding student characteristics, student performance and outcomes, enrollment trends, curriculum and instruction, testing and services, faculty development and employment criteria, and learning resources. The review process involved the use of surveys sent to all colleges in the system, data gathered from hearings involving over 120 faculty and administrators, and an analysis of existing data. Volume I of this two-volume review examines the study purpose, process, findings, and recommendations, while volume II consists of a series of appendixes. Study highlights include the following: (1) of students who completed the degree, approximately two-thirds transfered to a four-year institution; (2) despite charges to the contrary, the A.A. courses did not appear to engage in grade inflation as compared to four-year institutions; (3) enrollment in A.A. programs was increasing more consistently than enrollment in vocational programs; (4) the system for identifying remedial students was found to be flawed and in need of restructuring; (5) 14.57% of the full-time equivalent enrollees in 1989-90 were not state-funded; and (6) a need for additional funding to improve instruction in the skills required to successfully complete the College-Level Academic Skills Test was identified. Appendixes include the test instrument and tabulated responses, selected cost analysis data, lists of hearing attendees, and lists of recommendations. (JMC)