 "Dropout" is an hour long television news documentary inspired by the "Nation at Risk" report in 1984 regarding the disturbingly high numbers of school dropouts across the United States. Hosted by Gabe Kaplan ("Welcome Back, Kotter" star) and supported by numerous interviews with experts, the documentary team intimately follows the daily existence of four high-school aged boys and girls as they struggle to get their lives together with the help of four very unique and independent programs. The documentary investigates each of these programs to see how they help these kids stay in school.