This paper begins by reviewing evidence nationally, provincially, and locally that many students drop out of secondary school; that failure rates in core subjects in grades 9 and 10 in Ontario are high; and that ninth graders in Ontario reported being concerned about their school progress, their level of preparation and readiness for high school, and their knowledge of school policies. Core issues in transition to and continuous progress in secondary school are identified as being in the areas of: (1) guidance and counseling; (2) continuity and integration of curriculum; (3) suitability of curricular and extracurricular programs to student needs; (4) perceived clarity and even-handedness of school policies; and (5) staff accessibility. The major part of the paper concerns policies and procedures for facilitating the transition to secondary school. Section I concentrates on policies and practices which facilitate the transitional period. Section II focuses on policies and practices which facilitate transition in the longer term, and appear to contribute to high retention, academic success, and student satisfaction. A final section summarizes the ideas put forward in sections I and II and can serve as a starting point for discussion and decision-making. Sixty-seven references and two appendices are included; the appendices list relevant Ontario and City of Toronto documents and provide an excerpt from a recent book from Britain on curriculum continuity. (NB)