The purpose of this research was to determine to what extent young lower class Negro children's actual achievements in the middle class school setting are influenced by maternal behavior and attitudes. Ninety Negro children, from 53 to 66 months of age, plus their mothers, were selected as the research sample. Interviews were conducted with the mothers to discover and assess their behaviors considered relevant in influencing the school performance of their children. The middle class school setting in which the children were placed was a summer preschool program. During this program the ability of the children was tested and rated. These measures of the children's achievement were interrelated to the maternal behavior data. It was found that mothers with high maternal individuation (that is, mothers high in active and analytical behavior) had a more significant positive influence on the achievement of their children. Two other maternal behaviors that appeared to contribute significantly to their children's achievement in school were (1) open communication between mother and child and (2) degree of social isolation of the mother. (WD)