This publication from Australia reports on an investigation directed at possible explanations of why students in the state of Victoria remain to complete secondary school, and why schools themselves vary in their capacity to retain students to year 12. Chapter 1 provides perspectives on this topic from past research and identifies three domains of…

In 1983 Australia experienced unexpected nation-wide increases in enrollment in post-compulsory schooling (Year 11 and Year 12). This study sought to identify factors contributing to this increase, to assess the extent and characteristics of the change, and to examine the motivations and expectations of the students concerned. Patterns of school…