The perceptions of teachers about students' lack of success were studied, and the groundwork was laid for the future study of the effectiveness of a policy of warning students and parents of impending failure. The primary sources of data were teacher-coded reasons for failure, given on notices (progress reports) to secondary school students in the Austin (Texas) public schools, and received after 3 weeks of each 6-week marking period. These computer-generated notices have a menu of 11 reasons from which teachers may choose. Data for 16,000 students in 11 high schools and 12,000 students in 13 middle and junior high schools were reviewed. Failure to turn in work was the most common reason for failure; poor performance on quizzes/tests was equally common for grades 9 to 12, but just over half as common in grades 6 through 8. Excessive absence or tardiness was the third most common reason for failure in grades 9 through 12, with failure to make up work and lack of effort a second tier of reported causes for failure. Middle school students were more likely to fail to bring material to class, and older students were more likely to have excessive absences. Males were cited more frequently than were females in every category. This computerized system forces teachers to reflect on student performance and gives students and parents a warning of the students' impending failure. Further research into the consequences of such warning is warranted. Eighteen tables provide the study results, and a sample progress report and coding sheet are included. (SLD)