Over a four year period, the Continuation Education System Development Project will develop a practical instructional system capable of continuous identification and efficient response to the most critical needs of individual continuation students or those who have been pushed out of, or have dropped out of high school; in La Puente, California. This report is concerned with present student characteristics. Five major sections are included: (1) procedures, (2) critique of procedures, (3) findings, (4) summary, and (5) tables. The data were researched and reported in three separate categories: population characteristics, behavioral probability, and present academic performance capabilities. (See CG 004 283, CG 004 402, and CG 004 409). The research reported herein was funded under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. (Author/KJ)