The essays in this collection examine the school dropout from various points of view. Part I contains essays suggesting that the roots of the educational problems of the disadvantaged youth and the school dropout can be found in the poor state of contemporary public education; the essays in Part II present statistical data identifying the economically disadvantaged child generally and the school dropout particularly and examine job opportunities for the dropout; Part III contains essays on the socioeconomic, historical, and political factors affecting the disadvantaged; Part IV presents the findings of research studies and discussions of the factors in the disadvantaged child's early environment which influence his intellectual development; the essays in Part V describe educational programs for the disadvantaged student; and those in Part VI examine the role of the guidance counselor in helping the actual or the potential school dropout. (EF)