The Arizona Head Start-Public School Transition Project was one of 31 federally created programs designed to improve low-income children's transition from Head Start to public schools through the third grade, making earlier interventions, and promoting continuity with the participation of parents, teachers, and community members. The Transition concept has promoted four primary family-centered services: developmentally appropriate education, health provision, family development, and parent involvement. Two consecutive cohorts of children entering kindergarten at different years were studied, with outcomes for children in the Transition treatment condition compared to those for children in a comparison condition. Analyses were conducted of outcomes for children, families, system and policy. Overall findings at the 5-year completion of the project indicate that the Transition Project produced few cognitive, social, or emotional results for Transition children, nor did it produce significant differences between Transition and Comparison families. The Project did influence systemic changes in educational practices and collaborative relationships. Based on findings, recommendations for agency and public policy include the following: programs should focus on attainable goals; accountability for results should be the cornerstone of new program designs and evaluations; future Health and Human Services (HHS) research should focus on determining the long-term effects of the Head Start Program, not solely on new demonstration projects; and new programs should align their goals with Welfare-to-Work reforms. (Three appendices include a summary of data collection instruments, a comparison of school practices and services as of 1996, and a summary of results of longitudinal findings and analysis.) (JPB)