A description is given of "Operation Rescue," a program designed to find and implement solutions to the dropout problem. A discussion of the reasons students drop out of school takes into consideration the pressures of society that tend to overwhelm at-risk students. These include environmental, academic, survival, and social factors that impinge upon students in the lower socioeconomic strata of our society. A brief overview of research on dropouts offers insights into successful dropout prevention programs, the barriers to success of such programs, and the lessons that have been learned from dropout programs that may be helpful to others in developing their own programs. Suggestions are made for incorporating knowledge about dropout prevention in teacher education programs. These include leadership training, designing effective programs, learning to negotiate and develop grants-in-aid, personalizing curriculum, collaborating with community and businesses, and advanced decision-making skills. (JD)