Few researchers have studied the female dropout and too few dropout prevention programs are specifically designed to help girls complete high school. This paper describes programs and state policy initiatives that show promise in helping young women complete their education. They are used by schools and outside organizations to serve and encourage teenage girls with the following approaches: (1) academic encouragement; (2) activities to enhance self-esteem; (3) coordination of services for academic and non-academic needs; (4) bias-free interactions with teachers and administrators; and (5) encouragement to enter non-traditional courses and careers. Successful programs for each approach are described. Funds are needed to fully evaluate these programs so that the models can be shared among states and communities. There are a number of state policy initiatives which show promise in helping at risk students of both sexes. These include the following: (1) requiring accurate data collection on school completion by gender; (2) initiating collaboration between state agencies and private organizations; (3) creating incentives for schools to improve services; (4) imposing requirements that schools must meet in regard to at-risk youth; and (5) employing sanctions against districts or schools that fail to serve at-risk youth effectively. (VM)