The study reported concentrated on school leavers in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) who returned (dropbacks) to Job Corps Programs over an 8-year period. Interviews with 100 dropbacks explored who left school, why they left school, what caused them to come back, and the kinds of interventions that might succeed with other students. Part 1 provides a contextual framework for the dropout problem in Pittsburgh, other large cities, and the nation. Part 2 concentrates on student perspectives of schooling, focusing on student decisions about continuing in school. Part 3 analyzes the findings of the interviews and offers policy recommendations. Absenteeism, low achievement, feelings of alienation, school suspension, and early parenthood preceded dropping out for many students. These findings point to areas that reform efforts must address. Systemic change, altered school climate, smaller class size and better access to counselors, greater flexibility, and programs that reflect more caring, such as child care, are all needed to reduce the dropout problem. An appendix contains the interview protocol. (Contains 1 table and 210 references.) (SLD)