Funded through the Ohio Disadvantaged Pupil Program Fund, the Columbus Public Schools' Instructional Aide (IA) Program served 309 kindergarten children and 1,793 first-grade students during the 1988-89 school year. The goal of the IA program was to provide an educational support program for underachieving pupils. Instructional aides were trained to provide direct instructional service to selected pupils in the classroom. The program, which was implemented in 58 buildings and involved the equivalent of 135 aides assisting 199 teachers, emphasized activities which would increase oral language, written language, and reading skills. Program evaluation efforts involved the administration of sub-tests of the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills to kindergarten children and first-grade students, and the use of locally constructed surveys of staff and reading assessments of students. The attendance criterion of 90 days was met by 154 kindergarten children and 1,136 first-graders; of these, 903 pupils received pre- and posttest administrations of the achievement test. Results for kindergarten students indicated an average Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE) gain of 2.2 per month for the 5.6 month project period, but less than 80% of the teachers perceived pupil progress was directly attributable to the instructional aide. Results for first grade students indicated that students did not meet the goal of one NCE gain for each month of the program, although teacher ratings indicated that reading skills were substantially enhanced through direct instruction. (Twenty tables of data are included; survey forms and assessment instruments are appended.) (RS)