THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE DISCUSSED AND RESOLVED BEFORE A LARGE-SCALE INTRODUCTION OF PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN--(1) THE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL-RELATED ABILITIES. NUMEROUS STUDIES ATTEST TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRESCHOOL YEARS IN ESTABLISHING THE BASIC SKILLS ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS IN SCHOOL. (2) AT WHAT AGE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOL-RELATED EXPERIENCES MUST BE AVAILABLE IN THE ENVIRONMENT. STUDIES WITH ANIMALS AND CONGENITALLY BLIND PEOPLE GIVEN SIGHT BY OPERATION INDICATE THAT BASIC SKILLS ARE DEVELOPED QUITE EARLY. (3) THE DIFFERENCES IN THE CONTINUITY OR DISCONTINUITY OF PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCES AND SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS BETWEEN CULTURALLY DEPRIVED AND NONDEPRIVED CHILDREN. THE LANGUAGE OF THE DEPRIVED CHILD TENDS TO BE RESTRICTED IN DEVELOPMENT AND SIMPLE IN STRUCTURE. THE LANGUAGE REQUIRED BY THE SCHOOL IS RICH AND COMPLEX. THE SCHOOL REQUIRES AN ACHIEVEMENT ETHIC, WITH HIGH VALUATION ON DEFERRED GRATIFICATION AND SYMBOLIC COMMITMENT. THE LOWER CLASS CHILD HAS A SET OF VALUES BASED ON IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION AND CONCRETE COMMITMENT. (4) THE NATURE OF COMPENSATORY PRESCHOOL EDUCATION AND SOME OF THE CURRENT PROCEDURAL ISSUES. THE PRESENT VARIETY OF TYPES OF PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS REPRESENT THREE APPROACHES--(A) SUPPLEMENTARY, (B) ACADEMIC-PREPARATORY, AND (C) COMPENSATORY. (5) SOME OF THE LONG-RANGE UNDERLYING ISSUES. SO-CALLED DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN MAY HAVE CERTAIN ASSETS AND ABILITIES WHICH MIDDLE CLASS CHILDREN DO NOT POSSESS. THESE ASSETS MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT INTRINSIC VALUE FOR SOCIETY AS A WHOLE, BUT THEY MAY BE WIPED OUT IF IMPOSED UPON BY THE MIDDLE CLASS ORIENTED SCHOOLS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS CRITICS WHO CLAIM THAT THE SCHOOLS TODAY ARE EDUCATIONALLY DEFECTIVE. THIS ARTICLE IS A REPRINT FROM "FOCUS," (N.D.), MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INC., 16 ARLINGTON ST., BOSTON, MASS., 02116. (WD)