BACKGROUND PAPER ON DROPOUTS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT.

EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS OF SCHOOL DROPOUTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. REASONS FOR DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL AS DETERMINED FROM TEACHERS, DROPOUTS, AND RECORDS INCLUDE LOW ACADEMIC APTITUDE, RETARDED EMOTIONAL MATURITY AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT, LACK OF INTEREST, ECONOMIC REASONS, AND MARRIAGE AND PREGNANCY. ON THE AVERAGE, DROPOUTS ARE RATED AT THE LOWER END OF INTELLIGENCE SCALE AND SCORE LOWER IN SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT. CHARACTERISTICS OF POTENTIAL DROPOUTS INCLUDE FAILURE TO ACHIEVE IN REGULAR SCHOOL WORK, AN AGE OF 16 YEARS OR MORE, OW READING ABILITY, GRADE LEVEL PLACEMENT 2 OR MORE YEARS BELOW AVERAGE FOR GRADE, IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE, AND FREQUENT TARDINESS. THE POTENTIAL DROPOUT CAN BE DESCRIBED AND IDENTIFIED WITH A FAIR DEGREE OF ACCURACY AT LEAST 5 YEARS BEFORE THE DROPOUT OCCURS. THE NUMBER OF DROPOUTS CAN BE REDUCED BY APPROPRIATELY DESIGNED SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS USUALLY INCLUDE--A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT INVOLVING SCHOOL, STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND WELFARE AGENTS, DIRECT CONTACT AND INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS, A LONG-RANGE PROGRAM BEGINNING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE SECONDARY SCHOOL, FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS TO MEET NEEDS OF THE POTENTIAL DROPOUT, A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATIO OF INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, A FULLY STAFFED PUPIL PERSONNEL TEAM WHICH INCLUDES COUNSELORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND HEALTH WORKERS, PROVISIONS FOR WORK EXPERIENCES, AND A CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO DEVELOP THE VALUES AND ATTITUDES FROM WHICH THE STUDENT DERIVES THE MOTIVATION TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND PREPARE FOR WORK. OFFICE OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO SCHOOL DROPOUTS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT INCLUDE GRANT-IN-AID AND CONTRACT PROGRAMS, PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP AND SERVICES. OTHER AGENCIES HAVE SPONSORED PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE HOLDING POWER OF SCHOOLS, RECLAMATION OF DROPOUTS, AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT.