Oregon's accounting system to identify early school leavers is described in this document. The system provides a uniform process for identifying students in grades 7-12 who leave school prior to completion of a high school degree or equivalent studies. Included are sample forms and instructions for completion, a description of the state Department…

Serious concerns are being raised by the poor and uneducated underclass in the United States. Four main points are given which expand upon these concerns. (1) The affluent and middle class white U.S. population does not have enough interest and commitment to the poor and undereducated population to pay the price it will take to educate the U.S.…

Two theories concerning students' decisions to leave college are compared, and the convergence and discriminant validity of the two theories are examined empirically. The extent to which the theories could be merged to help researchers understand the role of institutional and noninstitutional variables in student persistence is discussed. (MSE)

A study of 136 graduate social work students found that burnout (strain) was significantly related to each of 3 stress indicators and 2 outcome measures (intention to quit school and physical and psychological symptoms). Direct stress-to-outcome relationship was nonsignificant. Evidence of a buffering influence of social support was limited. (MSE)

In fall 1987, a study was conducted at Central Community College (CCC) to investigate patterns in student course withdrawals at the college's three campuses. At CCC, students may enroll in a "whole" course (i.e., all credits represented by one listing on the schedule) or in one or more parts of the course by individual units. For example,…

This report is concerned with students who either dropped out or were dismissed from grades 9 through 12 during 1983-84 in 14 school systems in Arkansas. It is intended for use by state government, the State Department of Education, state and local policymakers, school administrators and staffs, parents, and young people. The data presented in…

Under both the present and the proposed Individuals with Disabilities Education Act law there is no 10-day rule that keeps school administrators from taking strong measures to deal with students who pose a clear and present danger to the safety of others. (Author/MLF)

Surveys of students at two Australian colleges (n=342 and 208) investigated their perceived stresses during the college experience. Respondents were more concerned with academic matters than a range of personal, interpersonal, and practical factors. Additional surveys of faculty indicate they are biased in their perceptions of student concerns.…

A study investigated the extent to which 104 community college students' experiences with key college processes during the first few weeks of school predicted their persistence or withdrawal from the college in the second semester. Results identified a small set of processes, both administrative and instructional, that differentiated between…

A study of 352 social work students (predominantly from minority group backgrounds and admitted to an undergraduate social work program between 1980 and 1987) examined factors contributing to retention or attrition and possible strategies for reaching out to students at risk. The report is described, and the research methodology is presented as a…

Using discriminant analysis, a study examined (1) the extent to which the new Student Adjustment to College Questionnaire (SACQ) accurately predicts student departure for a private, comprehensive university (n=1,978 students); (2) SACQ items distinguishing nonpersisters; (3) use with an incoming class; and (4) evidence linking the SACQ with…

A tracking model was developed at Rancho Santiago College utilizing enrollment and student statistics to identify first-time students who entered the college in fall 1983 and to track them over the following years. Statistics on 6,151 new students entering in fall 1983 indicated: (1) only 45% of the students who entered in fall 1983 were enrolled…

A study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to develop a profile of students who withdrew from courses between 1982 and 1986 and to compare this profile with the results of a 1979-82 withdrawal study. For the past 4 years, each degree credit student who has officially withdrawn from a course has been asked to complete a survey…

Introduces a method of examining college enrollment patterns that is unlike the traditional cohort models currently used. The student flow matrix model can track student retention and attrition within the institution, and can also help the administrator identify key relationships between and among specific student-flow characteristics. (MSE)

College administrators who suspend or dismiss students who do not meet the institution's minimum academic performance standards must identify and develop sound reinstatement policies based on clearly defined criteria which measure an individual's ability to succeed. Such policies are necessary to allow potential graduates to complete their studies…