A growing number of recent immigrant students enter middle school and high school with little or no prior formal schooling and with low literacy skills. Often referred to as "late entrant" or "low-literacy" students, they may be three or more years below their age-appropriate grade level in their school-related knowledge and skills. As a result, they often have difficulty in secondary school and do not have time to fulfill high school graduation requirements before they reach the maximum age for high school attendance.

This book provides guidelines for school administrators and teachers with these students in their programs. The authors describe the backgrounds, educational experiences, and needs of five such students (from Haiti, El Salvador, and Vietnam), profile four programs designed to serve them (in Illinois, Texas, and Virginia), and identify the critical features of secondary school programs for these students. Program contacts and resources are provided.