PERSONAL COUNSELING OF STUDENTS IS THE HEART OF A GUIDANCE PROGRAM. A FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE DROPOUTS TO RETURN TO SCHOOL HAS AIDED THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENTS OF NEW JERSEY SECONDARY SCHOOLS. THE SUMMER PROGRAM INCLUDED PERSONAL HOME INTERVIEWS, INSERVICE ORIENTATION FOR TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS, A FLEXIBLE AND ADJUSTED PROGRAM OF STUDIES FOR RETURNEES, AND A WORK-STUDY PROGRAM. THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE FOLLOWED THESE PROCEDURES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, ADDING SPECIAL COUNSELORS TO WORK WITH STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES CONNECTED WITH DROPOUTS. EVENING GUIDANCE CLINICS WERE SET UP FOR ADULTS AND DROPOUTS. FOLLOW-UP STUDIES WERE MADE OF GRADUATES AND DROPOUTS. OF THE 96 PERCENT REPORTING GRADUATES, 41 PERCENT WERE IN COLLEGIATE INSTITUTIONS, 44 PERCENT WERE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, AND 5 PERCENT WERE IN THE ARMED SERVICES. THE VAST MAJORITY OF DROPOUTS IN THE STUDY WERE STILL SEEKING EMPLOYMENT AFTER A YEAR OR MORE OUT OF SCHOOL. MANY DROPOUTS WERE EAGER TO HELP AND WERE ENTHUSIATIC ABOUT INTEREST SHOWN IN THEM BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL. THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED EXPANDED GUIDANCE SERVICES TO MEET INCREASED DEMANDS. THE NEW PROGRAM FOR DROPOUTS MENTIONED IN THE FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROJECT ABOVE SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE AN EXTENSION OF THE WORK-STUDY PROGRAM. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELING IS NEEDED TO BEGIN DROPOUT PREVENTION AT AN EARLIER LEVEL. THERE IS NEED FOR A GUIDANCE ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR NEW STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL. INSERVICE EDUCATION SHOULD BE OFFERED FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS IN THE AREA OF GUIDANCE.