DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROGRAM, CONSULTANTS PARTICIPATED IN PRESERVICE AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING AND THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. FIFTH, SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM. DURING THE CURRENT YEAR, WHICH IS THE SECOND, SEVERAL STEPS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. THE FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE PROGRAM. THERE IS SOME GROUPING ACROSS GRADE LEVELS. AN ABCD PROGRAM SPECIALIST WILL BEGIN MONITORING THE PROGRAM IN THE SPRING. A MORE EXTENSIVE INSERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR READING CONSULTANTS IS BEING DESIGNED EMPHASIZING SKILLS NEEDED TO USE NEW MATERIALS AND TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM OF THE CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED. TIME SHOULD BE PROVIDED FOR TEACHERS AND CONSULTANTS TO REVIEW PROBLEMS AND PLAN IMPROVEMENTS. ALL CHILDREN WERE TESTED FOR READING AND GRADE PLACEMENT. THEY WERE TESTED FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES BEFORE AND AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, AND THE DATA IS BEING ANALYZED. IN THE FUTURE, TESTS WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, COLLECTED AND SCORED BY ABCD PERSONNEL. THIS CHANGE IS DUE TO THE LARGE INCREASE IN THE STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM.