This dissertation examines three reform movements: the curriculum reform movement, the Great Society Programs of the Kennedy and Johnson Administration, and the current competency-based teacher education (CBTE) movement. Using the CBTE approach, this dissertation focuses on dimensions with which CBTE did not deal-specifically, low income populations and secondary schools. This dissertation develops an instructional package for secondary teachers from low-income urban areas to enable them to construct competency-based instructional modules for their students. Defined as a self contained and independent unit of instruction, a module has a primary focus on clearly defined objectives and evaluation criteria. The training package was used by 12 teachers in four secondary schools in low income areas of a large urban city on the east coast. The teachers used the traditional approach during the first semester and the competency-based education approach during the second semester. Each teacher then reported: (1) which approach generated more student interest? (2) did the rate of absenteeism from class change when using the competency-based approach? (3) which approach to teaching did you prefer to use? All teachers involved preferred the competency based instructional approach and indicated that it generated more student interest. Eight teachers reported a decrease in absenteeism. (Author/JM)