THE PRESCHOOL INVENTORY BEGAN AS AN ANSWER TO THE NEED FOR SOME TYPE OF INSTRUMENT THAT WOULD PROVIDE AN INDICATION OF HOW MUCH A DISADVANTAGED CHILD, PRIOR TO HIS INTRODUCTION TO HEAD START, HAD ACHIEVED IN AREAS REGARDED AS NECESSARY FOUNDATIONS FOR SUBSEQUENT SUCCESS IN SCHOOL. MEASURING BASIC INTELLIGENCE WAS NOT THE GOAL. RATHER, THE INVENTORY WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DEMONSTRATE THE FACT THAT THE DISADVANTAGED CHILD WAS FUNCTIONING AT A DEFICIT AT THE TIME HE BEGAN SCHOOL. IT WAS ALSO TO BE USED ON A BEFORE-AFTER BASIS AND TO BE AVAILABLE AS AN INDEX OF EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH HEAD START. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THE INVENTORY SHOULD BE MORE SYSTEMATICALLY STANDARDIZED BEFORE BEING MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION. (APPENDIXES INCLUDE THE INSTRUMENT AND AN ADMINISTRATION AND SCORING MANUAL.) (COD)