A 2-year project was designed to reorganize basal reading instruction as to stress fluent reading and automatic word recognition. The reorganized reading program had three components: a redesigned basal reading lesson, stressing repeated reading and partner reading; a choice reading period during the day; and a home reading program. Over the 2 years of the program, students made significantly greater than expected growth in reading ability in all 14 classes. All but 2 children who entered second grade reading at primer level or higher (and half of those who did not) were reading at grade level or higher by the end of the year. Growth in fluency and accuracy appeared to be consistent over the whole year. Students' and teachers' attitudes toward the program were positive. In evaluating individual components, results indicated that self-selected partnerings seemed to work best and that children chose partners primarily out of friendship. Children tended to choose books that were about or slightly below their instructional level. In addition, children seemed to benefit instructionally from more difficult materials, with the greater amount of scaffolding provided in this program. (Contains 49 references, and 4 tables and 6 figures of data. An appendix presents interview questions.) (Author/RS)