In 18 Appalachian Tennessee counties, an aggressive "war on illiteracy" recruits former dropouts to GED (high school equivalency) classes, literacy classes for those with grade 8-9 reading level, and basic skills classes. People who almost finished high school may earn diplomas through approved adult classes. Classes are taught by…

The One-Room-Drop-In-School (ORDIS) emerged as one of Tennessee's dropout prevention program innovations. A pilot ORDIS was started in Nashville (Tennessee), in a high density housing project where concentrations of poverty and illiteracy usually exist. A five-bedroom apartment in the housing project was set up as a school. A certified teacher,…