An evaluation study was done (1) to compare the performance of adult high school diploma students and traditional students in three basic areas of skill development (vocabulary, language arts, and reading comprehension) and (2) to test the association between selected demographic variables and performance in these three basic skill areas. The comprehension and vocabulary sections of the Gates-MacGinite Reading Tests (Gates) Survey D and the language arts section of the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED) were administered to twenty traditional twelfth grade high school students and twenty adult high school diploma program (HSDP) students. Conclusions were these: (1) There was no significant difference between the performance of the traditional high school seniors and the HSDP students in vocabulary, language arts, and reading comprehension as measured by Gates and ITED; (2) a strong correlation was not observed between these two student groups on selected independent variables (age, attendance, and employment) and the three basic skill areas; (3) there was a strong correlation between the two student groups on each of the selected dependent variables (Gates comprehension, vocabulary, and reading total; and ITED language arts skills and reading total) and the three basic skill areas; and (4) the HSDP is a viable alternative to the traditional high school program for many adults. (EM)