The conference summarized here brought together participants from 12 public school districts and 34 observers from government agencies, foundations and community organizations. The attendees addressed the concern that the reform agenda of American public schooling is insufficiently sensitive to needy children who have dropped out of school or who may be at risk of doing so. The chairman's personal observations of the conferencees' conclusions are provided on the following subjects: (1) the need for obtaining better data; (2) reasons for the absence of more accurate information; (3) improving the information base; (4) holding power in schools vs. post-school remediation; (5) "successful" programming; (6) the Comprehensive Competencies Program; (7) outcomes; (8) obstacles; and (9) who is to blame for the existing problems. The first appendix lists the guests at the conference, while a second provides the agenda. Appendix 3 plots program variables by district (the 12 districts represented at the conference), in terms of policy and services for dropouts or potential dropouts. Categories reviewed include: (1) diagnosis for student selection; (2) program learning content; (3) program delivery; (4) resources; and (5) evaluation. Appendix 4 addresses population characteristics, graduation requirements, degree options, and information management practices of individual districts. The paper "Uncommon Sense: School Administrators, School Reform and Potential Dropouts," by Edward L. McDill, Gary Natriello, and Aaron M. Pallas, is also appended to the report. (RDN)