A REMEDIAL READING INSTRUCTION PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE SKILLS OF HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS IS EVALUATED. CENTERS WERE ESTABLISHED AT THREE SITES TO SERVE 750 DROPOUTS REFERRED BY VARIOUS COMMUNITY AGENCIES. THE PROJECT WAS STAFFED BY SIX REMEDIAL READING TEACHERS, SEVEN COMMUNITY AIDES, AND ONE LIAISON WORKER. INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION USING A VARIETY OF TEACHING MEDIA AND MATERIALS WAS OFFERED. THE EVALUATION IS BASED ON A SAMPLE OF 76 STUDENTS RANGING IN AGE FROM 13 TO 22 YEARS AND ENROLLED IN THE PROJECT FOR AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 60 DAYS. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM THE GATES READING SURVEY, TWO STAFF QUESTIONNAIRES, TWO RATING SCALES, AND SOME CASE STUDIES. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE SAMPLE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED REGULARLY MADE SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN READING ABILITY. HOWEVER, HIGH STUDENT TURNOVER RATES AND IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE WERE TYPICAL AMONG ALL THE PARTICIPANTS. THE GREATEST BENEFITS WERE IMPROVEMENT IN READING AND STUDENT ATTITUDES. THE FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM WHICH NEED IMPROVEMENT ARE THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, THE AVAILABLE TIME FOR TEACHING, STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCEDURES, MOTIVATION TECHNIQUES, AND POSSIBLE PROJECT EXPANSION. TEACHERS JUDGED THAT ABOUT ONE-FOURTH OF THE STUDENTS SHOWED MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN BASIC SKILLS, AND STUDENTS RATED THE PROGRAM POSITIVELY. (NH)