One segment of a three-year study to examine the relationship between first- and second-language acquisition in light of instructional practices is presented. The study's major focus is the development of literacy skills, including school-related language forms as well as reading and writing, and in this segment, the services delivered to language minority students at three sites are described. The sites were bilingual programs serving populations speaking Spanish, Cantonese, and Navajo. The study examines and describes these elements: (1) the general characteristics of the region and population served by the school district; (2) the characteristics of the services provided by the districts to students of limited or no English speaking ability; (3) changes that have occurred in types of services delivered by the district to language minority students, and the influences of those changes; and (4) the level of academic achievement obtained by students who have participated in the programs, as measured by standardized achievement tests. In addition, the procedures used in the conduct of research, services delivered at each site, and the individual sites are described, and an interpretive summary of the findings across sites is presented. (MSE)