This report examines the effectiveness of elementary school-based family literacy programs and describes the first year evaluation of a middle-school-based family literacy program in Baltimore, Maryland. In section one it reviews the literature on adult education and early childhood intervention and proposes a hypothesis of the broad pathways by which family literacy programs might impact adults and children. Four family literacy programs are used to illustrate the gains achieved by such programs. In section two, the report describes the evaluation of a middle-school-based family literacy program and identifies the challenges of implementing a family literacy program at this level of schooling. Based on classroom observations, interviews, and individual outcome measures, the evaluation revealed small but encouraging accomplishments. It found that adult participants had positive attitudes toward education, often did their own homework together with their children, and improved the use of literacy skills in their daily lives. In section three, the report discusses the need to clarify program labels and goals, develop successful collaborations, improved measures of adult literacy, the impact of evaluation on program staff, and the efficacy of middle schools as sites for family literacy programs. (Contains 47 references.) (MDM)