The large number of dropouts estimated by the California State Department of Education has caused concern for educators, lawmakers, and the general public. A 1985 investigation of the graduation rate of the 1979 freshman class of San Juan High School was conducted which also sought to identify logistical problems with the collection of data needed for determining the graduation rate. Dropout research has been complicated by lack of a uniform definition of dropouts and a uniform method of estimating the dropout rate. Attrition rates overlook details about where, when, and why students dropout. San Juan High School was chosen because its student body composition resembled state averages in background and achievement and the school had a stable population and educational programs. Records were checked to determine which students who had entered as freshman did not graduate with their class. Efforts were made to locate these students and to determine their status. Logistical problems in tracking the students included the variability of record keeping and transferring, student name changes, undocumented address changes, and legal constraints on the release of student information. The overall graduation rate was found to be 76.9 percent although only 59.1 percent graduated from San Juan High in January or June of 1983. Sixty-nine students who had dropped out earned their diplomas or passed a proficiency test at a later time. The actual dropout rate was 22.6 percent. The freshman grade point averages of those who later dropped out were lower than those who subsequently graduated. (ABL)