The Pre-reading Skills Program (PRS) was developed at the Wisconsin Research and Development Center for Cognitive Learning. Research on prereading skills was conducted from 1966 to 1969. The developmental period, 1970 to 1974, included piloting and field testing instructional materials, teachers' manuals, assessment instruments, and a management system. During 1972-73, a study was designed and carried out to investigate achievement associated with PRS. Taking part in the study were kindergarten children from (1) classes whose teachers were using PRS for the first time, (2) classes whose teachers had used PRS during the previous year, and (3) classes whose teachers were not using PRS; and first grade children who had not used PRS in kindergarten. The major result of the study was that kindergarten children who used PRS scored significantly higher on five prereading skills tests than children who did not use the program. The study also showed that there is a high percentage of retention of mastery or nonmastery status between the end of kindergarten and the beginning of first grade. (Author/TS)