Strategies for preventing or responding to truancy and dropping out of school are offered in this resource paper. The document's first few pages draw on statistics from around the United States to illustrate the magnitude of the problem in terms of both its scope and its consequences. The paper then turns to its major focus, strategies to increase attendance. Addressing first the problem of truancy, actions to prevent the development of truant behavior are suggested. Strategies for intervening to prevent truancy from becoming habitual are presented next, and then methods for coping with chronic truancy are offered. Four currently operating programs for responding to truancy are described and contact persons named. The paper next considers strategies related to dropping out, beginning with strategies for prevention. Intervention strategies are presented next, followed by methods for dealing with chronic or permanent dropouts. Four dropout programs are described and addresses for further information provided. The strategies suggested involve the schools, the community, and legal and judicial authorities. The activities include organizing a truancy prevention committee, having a clearly stated truancy policy, improving communication, providing student counseling, offering special training for teachers and staff, setting up alternative educational programs, and cooperating with juvenile authorities. Useful publications and helpful organizations are listed and reprints of recent articles about the truancy problem are provided. (PGD)