Implementation of the Entry Level Skills Program (ELSP) during 1979-80 at Huston-Tillotson College and Wiley College, both historically black institutions in Texas, is described. The ELSP, which is a developmental program for freshman students who have not acquired the full range or level of cognitive skills needed for college, is part of the Developmental Research Project, which is designed to provide an improved learning system, a management information system, an appropriate test package, and a monitoring and evaluation system. Overall, the project was designed to provide professionals, and particulary women and minorities at the postdoctoral and predoctoral levels, the opportunity to design and implement the evaluation research component of the ELSP. The competency-based skills program is based on the planning, management, and evaluation systems concept to instruction. In addition, the program addresses testing concerns, and the study design includes administration of a standardized pre- and posttest battery and a series of criterion-referenced tests (e.g., the Comparative Guidance and Placement Program battery). The Institute for Services to Education Demographic/Psychosocial Scale and the Faculty and Administrator Survey form were also administered. Information is provided on student and faculty characteristics at the two pilot schools, student performance on reading and written English expression, performance on criterion-referenced tests in English and biology, results of item analyses of mastery tests, and results of faculty critiques of the programs in math and biology. Brief recommendations regarding the English tests (including reexamining items on the mastery test), the study survey guide, reporting forms, and the establishment of a cut-off score for the mastery tests are included. (SW)