This resource manual was developed to assist Texas school districts in their efforts to address and respond to the dropout problem. A 1986 study revealed a dropout rate of 33 per cent in Texas. A task force was initiated in 1987 to study the educational and social problem and produce this manual as a step toward overcoming it. The manual has the following chapters: (1) Dropout Prevention and Recovery; (2) Effective Programs; (3) Program Types: A Problem of Category; (4) Selected Program Types: Fitting the Solution to the Problem; (5) Academic Programs; (6) Truancy and Discipline Programs; (7) School-Age Parent Programs; Substance Abuse Programs; (8) Preschool and Early prevention Programs; (9) Parent and Family Programs; (10) Multifaceted Programs, which are collaborations between the school system and community organizations or businesses; (11) Curricular and Remediation Emphasis; (12) Vocational Emphasis; (13) Support and Service Emphasis; (14) Teacher Training Programs; and (15) Multifaceted Programs whose aim is to lower the dropout rate. Selected programs representing each type are described. The appendices contain a suggested reading list and an index of dropout prevention and recovery programs. A list of about 75 references is provided. (VM)