This study provides an evaluation of a program for teaching English Fundamentals and Writing Skills at Cerritos College (California). The new program divided the old English grammar and composition course into two ability-grouped sections: one dealing with sentences, and the other with paragraphs. Students started at their ability level and moved forward sequentially. Samples of 417 students each from the old and new courses were compared concerning: (1) retention; (2) eligibility to advance to the next level English composition; and (3) subsequent enrollment in other English courses. Some findings were: (1) retention in English composition courses did not increase with the initiation of the new program; (2) there was no difference between old and new programs in the percentage of students passing another English composition course; and (3) there appeared to be no significant difference between old and new programs in the percentage of students who enrolled in another English course. (RN)