The study of early school leavers was the first phase of a three-year project which looked at the social processes implicated in the transition from school to work or to further education. Data for the study was obtained by mail questionnaire during the summer of 1978-79 from an Australia-wide sample of 4,919 individuals who were between seventeen years of age and seventeen and eleven months on October 1, 1978. Approximately half of the sample were in their final years of high school and the remainder were early school leavers, persons who had left high school before year 12. Study results indicated differences between states and between systems (government, Catholic, and independent) in achievement. Students from migrant families whose native language was not English were also disadvantaged when the measure was student achievement. Early school leavers were most likely to be found in government schools, in particular states, or among those who had not achieved mastery of literacy and numeracy. Relative to seeking employment, each extra year of schooling resulted in finding a job one month earlier. In addition, schooling and proficiency in basic numerical skills seem to count on the job, and are rewarded with continuous employment and higher prestige jobs. As a remedy to the problems experienced by early school leavers, recommendations were made relative to these individuals receiving further education in alternative settings. (MEK)