The Program to Strengthen Early Childhood Education in poverty area schools in New York City, a Title I ESEA project, was designed to continue the efforts of Project Headstart into the primary grades. The program attempted to improve the achievement level of primary grade pupils by introducing reduced class ratios, paraprofessional assistance, and provision of additional instructional materials. Investigation of the extent to which the prescribed organizational framework was implemented revealed a low degree of accomplishment. Limitations of classroom space and difficulties in recruiting educational assistants severely handicapped organizational plans. The allocation of additional instructional materials was not received by two-thirds of the schools questioned. Subsidiary features of the program encompassing the area of related services, nutritional, dental, medical, psychological and social services, and parental involvement, received recognition only in the project proposal. No budget or guidelines were formulated for these components. Any inference s as to the effect of the program on academic achievement are very tentative due to the shortened school year, nonrandom assignment of pupils to program variants, limited implementation of the program, and the high rate of teacher and pupil mobility. (JM)