Dropout is a global crisis and an affliction in the United States. This study analyzes graduation rates based on prior academic achievement, attendance, and behavior at an urban American high school in Virginia over 4 years to identify who is (not) graduating and why. Using a correlational, nonexperimental design, four cohorts of graduates were…

This study tested the association between school-wide measures of an authoritative school climate and high school dropout rates in a statewide sample of 315 high schools. Regression models at the school level of analysis used teacher and student measures of disciplinary structure, student support, and academic expectations to predict overall high…

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) offer many opportunities for research into several topics related to pedagogical methods and student incentives. In the context of over 20 years of online learning research, we discuss lessons to be learned from observational comparisons and experiments on randomly chosen groups of students. We target two MOOCs…

This prospective study of 276 Virginia public high schools found that the prevalence of teasing and bullying (PTB) as perceived by both 9th-grade students and teachers was predictive of dropout rates for this cohort 4 years later. Negative binomial regression indicated that one standard deviation increases in student- and teacher-reported PTB were…

This article describes an action research at an alternative high school which explores drop-out prevention strategies with first-year students. Student retention is extremely challenging for alternative schools. Because their mission is to provide a second chance to students who could not succeed in a regular setting, those schools regularly must…

This document discusses the recent measures of VCCS student outcomes by focusing on three areas: (1) graduation rate; (2) retention rate; and (3) further study or employment rate after graduation. The document provides definitions for the following five terms as they are used in the study: (1) Fall to Spring retention; (2) Fall to Fall retention;…

This study examined three questions: (1) Are district-wide reductions in teacher-pupil ratios related to gains in reading and mathematics achievement for students in grades 4, 8, and 11? (2) Are district-wide reductions in teacher-pupil ratios related to decreases in the percentage of students who leave school between grades 8 and 12 without…

Computerized analysis of 1980 Census data documented educational deficiencies in 85 Central Appalachian counties of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Dropout rates among youth ages 16-19 were found to be higher in Central Appalachian counties than in non-Central Appalachian counties, the poorest counties had the highest dropout…

A study was conducted in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) to identify changes in student retention rates since a marketing and retention initiative was undertaken in 1985. The study also sought to determine factors that may have affected retention and colleges that showed exceptionally high, low, or improved retention rates. The…

A study was conducted in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) to determine the retention rates and academic achievement of part-time, degree-seeking students. The enrollment files of the VCCS colleges were examined to identify each individual enrolled in the fall quarters between 1985 and 1987, to determine full-/part-time enrollment…