National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)-approved court reporting programs offer a curriculum based on criteria and standards in "General Requirements and Minimum Standards." Declining enrollments have resulted in closure of reporter programs of all sizes and institution type. Factors negatively affecting public perception of court reporting as a career are media reports that predict its replacement by alternative technologies; negative media reports on reporter performance in high-profile cases; and reporters' negative statements on declining financial opportunities and working conditions. Individual schools' aggressive promotion increases enrollments. The rate at which students exit programs prior to graduation has not worsened, but moderately improved; yet it remains at an unacceptably high level. Reasons cited are program difficulty; extremely complex manual dexterity, mental skills, and excellent language skills required; and cost. Successful students are single, childless, employed part-time or not at all, avid readers, and enrolled full-time; have good grammar and keyboarding skills; and have received faculty motivation. NCRA's student recruitment and education initiative integrates programs of work in these four key areas: public relations to improve the profession's image; emphasis on student recruitment; reinventing realtime reporter education; and a federal initiative. NCRA has renewed its commitment to promoting higher levels of education. (YLB)