In this study 222 urban and rural Hispanic students from Colorado in grades 10 and 12 were classified into the following catagories: (1) dropouts; (2) strugglers, whose attendance levels and grade point averages (GPAs) were below the class median; and (3) achievers, whose GPAs were in the top tertile of their class. The students and their families were then tested on various instruments. Findings are presented in the following areas: (1) family characteristics; (2) family practices and perceptions; (3) student characteristics; and (4) academic performance and school involvement. Among the conclusions are the following: (1) parental social class is a fundamental determinant of educational success; (2) scholastic demoralization, which begins several years before entry into high school, is a primary cause of educational marginality and dropping out; (3) integration in the majority culture facilitated academic success, but success at school was neither fostered nor handicapped by maintaining one's loyalty to Hispanic language and culture; and (4) participation in extracurricular activities at school fostered academic success by means of reinforcing the social bonding within the school culture. Recommendations for Colorado schools are offered. Data are presented on nine figures. A brief list of references is included. Appendices provide the following: (1) summary of significant group differences; (2) summary of self-image items significantly related to academic success; (3) summary of acculturation items significantly related to academic success; (4) "Fact Sheet: Good Preschools for Poor Children Are Cost-Effective"; (5) "Program for Educational Quality: 2+2 Project Review" for January 29, 1988, and December 18, 1987; and (6) "School Dropouts in the United States" by Aaron M. Pallas, a Center for Education Statistics Issue Paper. (BJV)