A study examined a program for increasing reading ability to reduce the academic failure of identified at-risk students. Subjects were 14 second-grade and 18 sixth-grade students in a middle class suburb, southwest of a large metropolitan area. Evidence for the existence of this problem was gathered from teacher observations, assessments, standardized tests, and surveys. Literature suggested that probable causes for the problem included: socioeconomic factors resulting in a lack of parental attention, inadequate student motivation, and frequent curricular changes that were not supported by staff development. A review of solution strategies suggested by knowledgeable others, combined with an analysis of the problem setting, resulted in the selection of four areas of intervention: (1) a parental involvement program; (2) integrating trade books and basal readers into the curriculum; (3) development of task group activities incorporating the use of cooperative strategies, partnered reading, and teacher read alouds; and (4) writing extension activities. Results of the intervention indicated an improvement in reading comprehension, both silent and oral. Findings revealed that volunteering to read orally was increased, attentiveness was lengthened and, consequently, reading for enjoyment was significantly improved. (Contains 10 tables of data and 23 references; various forms, including bibliographies, parent letters, interest inventory, reading diagnosis checklist, etc. labelled A through L, are appended.) (CR)