The first 2 years (1986-1988) of the implementation of Fordham University's Stay-In-School Partnership Project (SSPP), a dropout program for urban high-risk children, are described. The long-term goal of the partnership between Fordham's Graduate Schools of Education and Social Science and New York City School District No. 4, a school district heavily populated by minorities, was to allocate resources of the university to help public school staff in their efforts to keep students in school. Three questions are addressed: (1) How much impact did SSPP have on the attendance rate of at-risk children? (2) What effects did it have on their academic achievement? (3) What types of practices and strategies were most effective with the children? Answers were based on data concerning attendance rates, reading and math performance, self-esteem, adequacy of child care, levels of social service, parent participation, and an emerging practice profile of the project. The practice profile indicated ideal, acceptable, and unacceptable variation on project components of assessment, record-keeping, play therapy, tutoring, program coordination, and family problem-solving. It is concluded that the preventive strategies and practices of SSPP described in this paper can benefit others taking similar action to positively change urban schools. (RH)