DURING THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD, 1958-63, A DEMONSTRATION TEST OF THE DUAL PROGRESS PLAN WAS CONDUCTED IN GRADES 3 THROUGH 6 OF THE NINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND IN GRADES 7 AND 8 OF THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN LONG BEACH AND OSSINING, NEW YORK. RELATED TRYOUTS OF THE PLAN WERE MADE IN 14 OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE PLAN INVOLVES NONGRADED CURRICULAR SEQUENCES, EMPLOYMENT OF FULL-TIME SPECIALIST TEACHERS, AND REJECTION OF THE SELF-CONTAINED GENERAL PURPOSE CLASSROOM IN FAVOR OF SPECIAL LABORATORY CLASSROOMS, EACH EQUIPPED FOR INSTRUCTION IN ONE OR TWO CURRICULAR AREAS. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE MASTERY OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND A KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATION'S TRADITIONS AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS, ADAPTATION OF INSTRUCTION TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT, IMPROVEMENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY, AND STABILIZATION OF THE STUDENT'S EMOTIONAL-SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS BY A HALF DAY IN CLASS WITH HIS AGE-MATES AND CORE TEACHER. THE REPORT GIVES DETAILS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN, DESCRIBES A RELATED MASTER'S DEGREE PRE-SERVICE ELEMENTARY SPECIALIST TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM, AND COMPARES THE DUAL PROGRESS PLAN WITH SUCH OTHER NEW INSTRUCTIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL PLANS AS TEAM TEACHING AND INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT--(1) THE DUAL PROGRESS PLAN DID NOT ACCOMPLISH ANY MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY, (2) STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND TEACHERS GENERALLY ENDORSED SPECIALIST TEACHING AND CHANGING CLASSES, AND (3) ABILITY GROUPING APPEARED TO HAVE SOME HARMFUL EFFECTS ON BOTH THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND THE EMOTIONAL-SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF LOW-ABILITY STUDENTS. THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED BY THE INTERSTATE, PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS, INC., DANVILLE, ILLINOIS 61832. (JK)