DETERMINATIONS WERE MADE OF THE DROPOUT RATE AMONG NATIVE ALASKAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THE VARIOUS REASONS FOR FAILURE TO FINISH SCHOOL. THE STUDY SAMPLE WAS DRAWN FROM NINE ALASKAN HIGH SCHOOLS WITH OVER ONE-HALF NATIVE STUDENT ENROLLEES. NATIVES WERE DEFINED AS PERSONS BEING ONE-FOURTH OR MORE ESKIMO, INDIAN, OR ALEUT. APPROXIMATELY 1,200 STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS DROPOUTS FROM SCHOOL FILES FOR THE PERIOD 1950-60 WERE SENT INFORMATION QUESTIONNAIRES, AND WHEN THESE WERE COMPLETED A SMALLER, REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE WAS INTERVIEWED TO DOCUMENT ALL RESPONSES. DATA WERE ALSO OBTAINED FROM VARIOUS SCHOOL PERSONNEL, PARENTS OF DROPOUTS, AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT ONLY ABOUT 35 PERCENT OF ALL HIGH SCHOOL AGE YOUTH WERE ACTUALLY IN SECONDARY SCHOOL. THE REMAINDER EITHER LEFT SCHOOL OR HAD BEEN RETAINED IN LOWER GRADES. IN GENERAL, THE DROPOUT WAS FOUND TO BE MALCONTENT, UNEMPLOYED, AND LACKING DIRECTION, AND HE BELIEVED HIS ORIGINAL DECISION TO LEAVE SCHOOL WAS UNFORTUNATE. THE DESIRE FOR ADDITIONAL EDUCATION WAS APPARENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF VOCATIONAL SKILLS. DIFFICULTIES IN ADJUSTING TO LIFE IN SCHOOL, PERSONAL FEELINGS OF HOPELESSNESS, AND A LACK OF INDIVIDUAL ENCOURAGEMENT AND SELF-MOTIVATION WERE CITED AS MAJOR REASONS FOR LEAVING SCHOOL BEFORE GRADUATION. TO AMELIORATE THESE CONDITIONS, FURTHER RESEARCH WAS RECOMMENDED IN SEVERAL AREAS, INCLUDING--(1) CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT, (2) EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES IMPROVEMENT, (3) PROGRAMS FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, (4) SELECTIVE TEACHER PROJECTS, AND (5) COMMUNITY-SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS. QUESTIONNAIRE FORMS FOR THIS STUDY ARE AVAILABLE IN VOLUME 2 (ED 002 957). (JH)