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This report describes an ongoing, large scale evaluation of First Things First (FTF), a district-wide comprehensive school reform initiative in Kansas City, Kansas. FTF is an example of a theory of change initiative, which entails specifying and sequencing each step required to achieve the desired outcomes in order to monitor early, intermediate, and long-term results. The report documents strategies and activities of FTF partners from the preparatory phase through the first year of implementation, which involved two groups of elementary and secondary schools. It also assesses the extent to which these activities were successful in achieving early outcomes: creating the conditions and building the capacity of the system's key stakeholders to plan and begin reform. Chapter 1 introduces the effort. Chapter 2 describes the reform model. Chapter 3 discusses creating the conditions and building the capacity for change (e.g., preparing district leadership for change and reallocating central office resources). Chapter 4 discusses planning for change at the building level (variations in district level activities with clusters and variations in contextual characteristics of schools). Chapter 5 looks at the effectiveness of district activities in achieving early outcomes of FTF (e.g., examining cluster level early outcomes, assessing awareness and knowledge of FTF, and assessing the sense of urgency and commitment to FTF). Three appendices contain research methodology. (Contains 30 references.) (SM)