The United Kingdom has a low, but rising, rate of postcompulsory participation in education. Reasons for this are suggested. Although market-led vocational training has provided for expansion, the current system lacks coherence. The paper concludes with some suggestions for reform. (Author/KDP)

An overview is provided of problems and potential solutions associated with high dropout rates at community colleges. The first sections look at the extent and nature of the dropout problem, highlighting some of the causes of student discontinance, the costs to the individual and society, and the paradox of open access and student retention in…