The 1993-94 school year was the first year of the Accelerating Literacy Program (ALP) of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District. The ALP used a grant from the Texas Education Agency to train elementary educators in the methods of a short-term reading intervention program based on the Reading Recovery/Whole Language theory. A group of 367 first-grade students who were identified as low-achieving was selected to participate in the 4-week program of accelerated instruction on 13 elementary campuses. Across the whole program, students increased their reading skills 0.47 levels (on a 4-point scale) on a 26-item developmental checklist, with the difference between preprogram and postprogram means found to be statistically significant. This checklist was used when no common standard of comparison was available; the lack of a common standard made evaluating program success difficult. Levels of student attendance varied greatly, as did levels of parent involvement. Plans were made for continuation of the program in the 1994-95 school year, with recommendations for improvement centered on establishing a common standard for judging achievement and additional staff training and student retention efforts. (Contains 1 summary table, 5 figures, and 3 references.) (SLD)