The Effective Schools and Even Start Act is a bill aiming to increase school effectiveness and to reduce adult illiteracy. This hearing report school effectiveness and to reduce adult illiteracy. This report presents the testimony of witnesses and includes materials which outline the extent to which various states are using state funds and Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA) chapter 2 funds to implement effective schools programs. Testimony concerns: (1) the Connecticut State Department of Education's School Effectiveness Project (the first state-wide attempt to improve school effectiveness through a systematic plan); (2) issues in funding school improvement programs; and (3) an effective after-school program at Public School 36 in Central Harlem, New York City. Supplemental materials provide: (1) Colorado's description of ECIA chapter 2; (2) a summary statement describing New York State's chapter 2 supported effective schools activities; (3) a summary of Illinois' ECIA chapter 2 program; (4) a brief description of one of Florida's ECIA chapter 2 programs; (5) Michigan State Board of Education's educational improvement plan, which delineates principles of school improvement, recommendations, and current and previous State Board of Education actions and directions regarding school improvement; (6) the second annual status report on Michigan's school improvement efforts; and (7) a summary of the Act. (RH)