THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE DURHAM EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (EIP) FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF A UNIVERSITY, TWO SOUTHERN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, A NEGRO COLLEGE, AND A COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM. EIP IS AN EXPERIMENTALLY DESIGNED MODEL SCHOOL SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES LONGITUDINAL STIMULATION. BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM IS A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION PROGRAM. THE SYSTEM BEGINS WITH A PROJECT TO OBSERVE THE EARLY BEHAVIOR AND HEALTH OF INFANTS, AND INCLUDES A PRESCHOOL, UNGRADED PRIMARY GROUPS, AND A LABORATORY SCHOOL PLANNED FOR EXPERIMENTATION AND TEACHER TRAINING. A YOUTH PROGRAM FOR DISADVANTAGED ADOLESCENTS AND A PARENT PROGRAM ARE BUILT INTO THE SCHEME. THE PARTICIPANTS IN SUCH A MODEL SYSTEM WILL BE DRAWN FROM ONE COUNTY AND TWO CITY SCHOOLS. THIS REPORT EXAMINES THE EIP RESEARCH COMPONENT, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION, SOME PRE- AND POSTTEST DATA ON THE PARTICIPATING CHILDREN, AND SOME FINDINGS FROM THE INFANT STUDY PHASE OF THE PROJECT. IT ALSO INCLUDES EXCERPTS FROM STUDIES ALREADY COMPLETED BY THE RESEARCH STAFF AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE WAYS IN WHICH HOUSEWIVES FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE USED AS EDUCATIONAL TECHNICIANS. (NH)