In 1974 the Virginia General Assembly adopted a senate resolution directing the state board of education to study laws preventing youths from choosing alternatives to compulsory school attendance. The board appointed a committee that studied the matter and made recommendations concerning the development of graduation requirements reflecting competencies; the development of alternative schools and programs at the local level; the reduction of the compulsory attendance age to 16 throughout the state and, for a three-year test period, to 15 for certain districts; the enactment of legislation to provide 12 years of free public education, nine of which would be compulsory and three of which would be available at any stage of life; the elimination of duplicate efforts between the schools and the community colleges; the provision of inservice education on employment opportunities to guidance personnel; the establishment of a network of youth services; and the undertaking of a study to determine the magnitude and probable cause of truancy and dropouts. All the recommendations were accepted and implementation is underway except on the one for reducing the compulsory age. Alternatives are being sought. (Author/IRT)