In 1985, legislation was enacted to provide opportunities to school districts to improve their abilities to keep youth in school and reduce pupil absenteeism, truancy, tardiness, and school dropout rates. Opportunities to recover youth who have already dropped out of school, not available prior to this act, were also provided. Legislation enacted in 1986 encourages district school boards to establish comprehensive Dropout Prevention Programs. Educational Alternative Programs, Teenage Parent Programs, Substance Abuse Programs, and Youth Services Programs were established, serving students in all categories in grades 4-12. Legislation in 1988 established Maryland's Tomorrow which provides funds to local areas to develop and operate comprehensive, interagency dropout prevention programs that bring together the resources of school systems, employment training agencies, and other sources to serve youth at risk of school failure.
Local partnerships compete for grants.
Legislation first passed in 1987 requires school districts to provide remedial and support programs for students at risk of dropping out of school and to designate one or more at-risk coordinators. It also required the Texas Education Agency to undertake a number of activities including a dropout retention program, a dropout data collection system, and a dropout information clearinghouse. It authorizes the operation of alternative education programs, direct interventions, prevention, and recovery programs.