This document presents a dropout prevention planning guide developed by the Office of Truancy, Dropout and Alternative Education of the Maine Department of Education, an office established to provide technical consultant services to public and private schools for identifying students at risk of school failure, and the development of dropout prevention strategies and alternative programs to meet their needs. A preface notes that the graduation rate for Maine's class of 1988 was 74.4% and identifies a need to improve the graduation rate. The major portion of the document consists of eight color-coded sections. The first section on the planning process presents a framework for approaching the dropout/at-risk problem and discusses the purpose and philosophy for dropout prevention planning, characteristics of successful prevention programs, and essential program elements. The next section on identifying students at-risk looks at possible causes/contributing factors of students at-risk, focusing on student, home/family, community, and school factors. Other sections focus on guidelines for alternative education, parent-school partnerships, business-education partnerships, setting a school climate for success, association and organizations, and relevant Maine statutes and rules. (NB)