IN SEPTEMBER 1964 THE HEGELER FOUNDATION CONDUCTED A WIDESCALE READING STUDY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE CORRELATED LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM BASED ON THE "OPEN COURT BASIC READERS" WOULD PRODUCE SUPERIOR RESULTS IN READING AND WRITING ACHIEVEMENT. THE FIRST-YEAR RESULTS ARE PRESENTED. THIRTY-TWO EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES AND 32 CONTROL CLASSES IN NINE SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN NINE STATES WERE INVOLVED. THE PUPILS STUDIED WERE OF COMPARABLE INTELLIGENCE, AGE, AND SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND. THE CORRELATED LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM WAS BASIC TO THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM WHICH EMPHASIZED INTENSIVE PHONICS AND WRITING AND USED THE FIRST READER OF THE "OPEN COURT READERS." THE CONTROL PROGRAM EMPHASIZED SIGHT VOCABULARY AND CONTEXT CLUES AND USED READERS OTHER THAN THE "OPEN COURT READERS." TESTS GIVEN WERE THE PINTNER-CUNNINGHAM PRIMARY TEST OF MENTAL ABILITY AND FIVE SUBTESTS OF THE STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST. RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SUPERIOR TO THE CONTROL PROGRAM IN FIVE AREAS--WORD READING, PARAGRAPH MEANING, VOCABULARY, WORD STUDY SKILLS, AND SPELLING--FOR ANY INTELLIGENCE OR AGE LEVEL, FOR BOTH SEXES, UNDER VARIED CONDITIONS, AND EVEN FOR REMEDIAL PURPOSES. AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE 64 TEACHERS INVOLVED REPORTED THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE PROGRAM THEY USED AND EVALUATED PUPIL PROGRESS. THE EXPERIMENTAL TEACHERS TENDED TO GIVE MORE FAVORABLE COMMENTS. TABLES AND GRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. THIS DOCUMENT IS PUBLISHED BY THE HEGELER FOUNDATION, BOX 399, LA SALLE, ILLINOIS 61301. (NS)