This volume presents methods and first-year findings from the urban and suburban/rural studies of Special Strategies for Educating Disadvantaged Children, a 3-year project that is collecting case study data on 10 different strategies identified as holding promise for educating this group of children. Data collected by Special Strategies involve only those schools that had Chapter 1 programs or were eligible to participate in Chapter 1 and includes observations of classroom instruction and student/teacher and student/student interactions; interviews with school-related staff appropriate to each of the program types; and surveys of parents, teachers, principals, district coordinators, and children in the third grade and above using instruments developed for the study. Selected first year observations show that: (1) little consideration is given to alterative educational options when administrators and/or teaching staff choose a student improvement curricular program, (2) the extent to which a strategy is easily and effectively implemented varies according to how extensive a change is required of teachers and administrators and the level of expertise of the teacher in both content matter and instructional delivery, and (3) successful program implementation requires additional funding and high levels of initial technical assistance and staff development. Appendices contain interview guides and research materials. (Contains over 100 references.) (GLR)