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This report describes a program for improving reading comprehension skills in order to heighten understanding of materials covered in class and performance on activities and exams. The targeted population consisted of first-, fifth-, and eighth-grade students in a large, lower- to middle-class community located in central Illinois. The problems in reading comprehension were documented through classroom performance and test scores. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that students lacked the necessary skills to process and understand what they read. Faculty reported that these deficiencies affect everything from following directions to the results on standardized exams. Review of curricula content and instructional strategies revealed that the methods that have been used are inconsistent and have not been planned in a way that emphasizes comprehension. A review of solution strategies (suggested by knowledgeable others) combined with an analysis of the problem setting resulted in the selection of an intervention that focused on the basics of comprehension (such as context clues, summarizing, and clarifying), presented with pre- and post-reading strategies, and cooperative learning. Post intervention data indicated an overall increase in reading comprehension abilities. Appendixes contain survey instruments, data tabulations, story pyramids, and graphic organizers. (Contains 27 references and 12 tables.) (Author/RS)