PROJECT CONCERN SEEKS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE LOWER ACHIEVEMENT OF DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IS AN "ARTIFACT" OF A NEGATIVE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SLUM NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SLUM SCHOOL. TO COUNTERACT THIS EFFECT, THE PROJECT HAS BUSED OVER 250 INNER CITY MINORITY GROUP CHILDREN, FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, TO FIVE MIDDLE CLASS SUBURBAN SCHOOL SYSTEMS ON THE PERIPHERY OF HARTFORD. ONE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP (E-GROUP) OF 213 CHILDREN RECEIVES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INVOLVING REMEDIAL ASSISTANCE, SCHOOL-HOME LIAISON, AND POSITIVE ADULT IDENTIFICATION FIGURES. THE REMAINING 42 PUPILS, THE OTHER E-GROUP, ARE BEING EXPOSED TO A SUBURBAN SCHOOL PLACEMENT WITHOUT SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. DATA WILL BE COLLECTED ON CRITERION VARIABLES RELATED TO SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND ON SUCH OTHER DIMENSIONS AS PUPIL ATTITUDE AND MOTIVATION, FAMILY PARTICIPATION, AND CLASSROOM CLIMATE. THE TWO E-GROUPS WILL BE COMPARED WITH GROUPS OF INNER CITY SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO HAVE OR HAVE NOT RECEIVED SUPPORTIVE ASSISTANCE. IT IS FELT THAT THE TREND TOWARD CUMULATIVE DEFICIT SHOWN BY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN MIGHT BE REVERSED BY CREATING A "DISSONANCE" WITHIN THE STUDENT'S SELF-PERCEPTIONS WHICH WOULD PERMIT THE REINFORCEMENT OF POSITIVE BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES. THE SUBURBAN PEER GROUP WILL PRESENT AN EMULATIVE MODEL, WHICH, ALONG WITH THE SUPPORT OF AN INDIGENOUS ADULT IDENTIFICATION FIGURE, WILL HELP TO BRING ABOUT A POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF THE DISADVANTAGED PUPILS. THE URBAN-SUBURBAN COOPERATION THAT THIS PROJECT REQUIRED IS FINANCIALLY AND OTHERWISE FEASIBLE FOR CITIES FRINGED BY MIDDLE CLASS SUBURBS. THIS PAPER WAS DELIVERED AT THE CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION AND RACIAL IMBALANCE IN THE CITY (HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, MARCH 2-3, 1967). (NH)