For the past 2 years, a pilot program to reduce student absenteeism has been implemented in a medium-sized city participating in the New Futures Initiative. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the outcomes of the Chronic Absenteeism Pilot (CAP) project. The New Futures Initiative engaged in interagency efforts to provide coordinated, integrated, and student-centered services to chronically absent youth and their families. Data for part 1 of the study were obtained from interviews with 63 key resource persons. Part 2 collected data from interviews with community associates assigned to CAP, the CAP supervisor, a representative sample of CAP students, a matched sample of school attendees, and teachers. Findings showed that despite elaborate interagency agreements, very little was known about potentially collaborative efforts on behalf of chronically absent youth in the city; what was known was seen as controversial and doomed to failure. The program was hampered by basic ideological differences and agendas held by the social service agencies and public schools, substantial power differences among the agencies, and the lack of a legitimate convener to represent stakeholders. In addition, the problem of chronic absenteeism was greater than previously reported. Teachers tended to view CAP students in negative terms. "Attenders" expressed positive attitudes about themselves and their schools; CAP students did not. However, CAP students expressed indifference, rather than hostility, toward their schools. (LMI)