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High school dropouts, educators, and researchers introduce the economic and personal costs of dropping out, why a high school equivalency is no longer enough, and the benefits of dropouts gaining second chances. Two former dropouts, Kellie Blair Hardt, homeless as a child, now an award-winning teacher, and Hasan Davis, former commissioner of juvenile justice for the state of Kentucky, tell their stories.

The longer someone is out of school the less likely they are to go back. This program looks at programs designed to get young dropouts back on course. Featured are Pedro Albizu Campos High School in Chicago, where a community-based curriculum incorporates Puerto Rican culture, and YouthBuild, a national program combining academics with mentoring and construction career training.

Why does it take many dropouts years to attain a high school equivalency? Why do so many former dropouts struggle in college? The challenges faced by many go far beyond academics. Featured programs include Academy of Hope in Washington, DC, a community-based program that works with inner city adults, and Enemy Swim Day School in South Dakota, where children and parents learn together. Tricia Amos, a member of the Dakota Sioux tribe, tells her story.

In order for America's dropouts to attain college and career readiness, institutions must change. This program looks at innovative programs that are achieving success, including Lake Area Technical College in South Dakota, which works closely with employers to make sure students gain marketable skills; the Academy for College Excellence, a one-semester program developed By Cabrillo (CA) College to assist underprepared college students and achieving retention and completion rates far beyond traditional community colleges; and the Makers, a coalition of manufacturers and community colleges working to train much-needed workers that can help keep high-skills manufacturing in America.

Between 2012 and 2022, the U.S. is projected to need more than 500, 000 new carpenter and construction laborers. Yet, as Stephen Hernandez, director of the boatbuilding apprentice program at the Alexandria Seaport Foundation says, "People don't work with their hands anymore." In fact, there are two million jobs available today that are going unfilled because there are no skilled workers available. This new program in the series looks at successful apprentice and training-based programs preparing under-educated and unemployed people for available jobs by teaching valuable skills. Two of the featured programs work primarily with young adults, many of whom lack a high school diploma or equivalency, and help them improve their academic, life, and employment skills while learning a valuable trade. In addition to Alexandria Seaport Foundation's boatbuilding apprentice program, Dropping Back In features Cafe Hope, a culinary apprentice program in New Orleans. Also featured is The Makers Coalition of Minneapolis, a training program in sewing manufacturing that began when a local company discovered a hugely successful niche in making domestically manufactured high-end leather goods, but couldn't find enough skilled workers. Their dilemma led to a partnership with a local technical college to develop a course and train people in need of marketable skills.