Fifteen literacy programs, structured as partnerships between Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Service Delivery Areas (SDAs) in Texas and nonprofit literacy councils, were reviewed. Interviews were conducted with students, tutors and instructors, program directors and other staff, and partners to study program effectiveness in establishing partnerships and in providing literacy services. Three factors were identified that enabled a program to achieve an effective beginning: filling an identified need within existing literacy services, using resources outside of the program partnership for help and support, and organizing the partnership agreement toward a common goal. Funding did not run smoothly. Some programs attempted to meet original goals in a shortened time frame; all programs experienced a break in services between grant cycles. The partner relationship was strongest when partners worked together in roles extending beyond referral. From the interviews, 10 characteristics describing successful partners developed. Programs offered a multitude of literacy services; staff were predominantly volunteers with little training in adult education. JTPA eligibility determination required extensive documentation, and intake assessment instruments were uneven in their capacity to determine participants' abilities. "Word of mouth" was most successful in encouraging enrollment. A model of an effective partnership program was developed. Four areas were targeted for recommended changes: grant application process, training, partnerships, and program delivery. (Interview schedules are appended.) (YLB)