This literature review describes the major topics covered in the literature on school dropouts between 1988 and 1994, with special attention to the reasons why youth leave school. It analyzes recent literature on these topics, and links this literature to that on intervention programs meant to keep youth in school and prepare them for employment. A synthesis of the literature is organized according to eight categories: (1) reviews of the literature (8 sources); (2) critiques (4 sources); (3) models or theories to explain dropout (9 sources); (4) surveys of dropouts and at-risk students (14 sources); (5) dropout and delinquency (9 sources); (6) dropout and part-time work (5 sources); (7) dropout and school characteristics (9 sources); and (8) intervention programs to reduce dropout (24 sources). The synthesis of these sources suggests that there are many implications for action that can be drawn from research. First, it seems that multiple responses are probably a wiser course than the adoption of a single response. Enough is known about some subgroups to tailor programs appropriately, but more study is required to develop interventions for less often studied ethnocultural groups. The apparent complimentarity of work and school should be studied to learn more about the workplace as a learning environment. Innovative programs to prevent dropout should be studied for the support and education they offer students. An annotated bibliography of the sources used for the literature synthesis is included. (Contains 80 references.) (SLD)