This evaluation report is the third in a series of reports that are part of a 4-year national effort designed to describe the types of Even Start projects that have been funded, the services provided, the collaboration efforts undertaken, and the obstacles to program implementation that have been encountered. The current report provides information about the first 2 cohorts of Even Start projects, 76 that began in 1989 and 47 that began in 1990. The first six sections of the report describe the background, design, and characteristics of the Even Start program, its participants, and its core services. Section seven examines approaches to assessing the short-term effects of the Even Start program on the participants. Sections 8 through 11 discuss in detail the effects of the program on children, parent literacy, parenting skills, and families. Section 12 reviews the cost of the program, while section 13 summarizes the entire report. (Contains 69 references.) (MDM)