AT A MEETING OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND BOARDS OF THE 14 LARGEST AMERICAN SCHOOL SYSTEMS, CONCERNS WERE SHARED ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF EDUCATION IN LARGE URBAN AREAS. A CAREFUL STUDY OF CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES WAS MADE, AND FINDINGS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED IN APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS IN EACH OF THE CITIES. THE PROBLEM OF LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES LED TO A COOPERATIVE STUDY OF FISCAL POLICY. AN INTENSIVE ANALYSIS WAS MADE OF FACTORS WHICH INDICATE EDUCATIONAL DEPRIVATION - LOW ACHIEVEMENT, POOR ATTENDANCE, TRUANCY, AND HIGH FAILURE RATE. THE "CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS" WAS DEVELOPED WHICH STATES THAT THE PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN OF LIMITED BACKGROUNDS CAN BE EFFECTIVELY AND ECONOMICALLY SOLVED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM OF EDUCATION ADAPTED TO THEIR NEEDS, THE MODIFICATION IN ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS WITHIN THE SCHOOL, PROPER SELECTION AND UTILIZATION OF PERSONNEL, IMPROVED UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT, AND INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS AND COMMUNITY IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. IT IS HOPED THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN ATTENDING PROJECT SCHOOLS WILL LEAVE THEM WITH POSITIVE SELF-IMAGES, HIGHER GOALS, GREATER SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPROVED CITIZENSHIP, AND THAT THEY WILL BE MORE ADEQUATELY PREPARED FOR CONTINUING SCHOOL OR GOING TO WORK, THEREBY BEING MADE INDEPENDENT, RATHER THAN DEPENDENT CITIZENS. IN ADDITION TO THESE OBJECTIVES, THE DETROIT PROGRAM HAS THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL EMPHASES--(1) A PROGRAM OF TEACHER-SCHOOL-COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT INVOLVING K-12 GRADE LEVELS, (2) REALISTIC FISCAL SUPPORT, AND (3) RECOGNITION THAT LONG-TERM PROGRAMS ARE NEEDED IF SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IS TO BE EFFECTED. BROAD DISCUSSION AND A PLAN FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE DETROIT PROJECT ARE INCLUDED.