A study was conducted to identify new points of intervention into the education and social development of economically and educationally disadvantaged youth considered at risk of dropping out of school and never successfully participating in the labor market. The demographic characteristics of the target population were studied, as well as past and current federally-assisted employment, education, and training programs. Case studies of current community programs were commissioned. The following are among the findings reported: (1) young people (most of them poor, Hispanic, and/or Black) who lack basic skills and who have failed to graduate from high school have the most difficulty in entering the labor market; (2) approximately 2.5 to 3.5 million of the 18 million students who are aged 9-15 are at risk; (3) at-risk students are overwhelmingly urban; (4) few past or current programs have targeted this age group; (5) the Job Training Partnership Act authorizes two current programs that serve 14- and 15-year-olds, including a summer youth employment program that is showing positive results in terms of school retention and improved learning retention; and (6) all of the case studies indicate the need to involve employers in the dropout prevention activities. (The document concludes with a two-page bibliography and executive summaries of five case studies.) (CML)