National dropou figures hover around 46 percent, according to the U.S. Office of Education. School business partnerships, including occupational training, counseling, and preemployment experience, have been effective in reducing the dropout rate in many schools. The use of computers in teaching traditional subjects has proved attractive to…

This booklet provides information about the Valued Youth Partnership (VYP) program for dropout prevention. Begun in 1984 with the support of the Coca-Cola Company and the collaboration of the Intercultural Development Research Association, the VYP program is being implemented in the Edgewood and South San Antonio school districts in San Antonio,…

In order that college and university educators and administrators could design a strategy for dealing with rural student dropouts, this study reviewed existing research on rural students who drop out of higher education. Although some research challenges the relationship between persistence in college and rural/urban background, corroborated…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 is designed to provide all young people, including out-of-school and at-risk youth, with access to programs that integrate academic and occupational education. In many cases, however, these youth are reached only by dropout prevention efforts. Because dropouts, as well as young people who have obtained…

This report presents evaluation information concerning a 1993 New York City Chapter 1 summer program's four components: Project Welcome Plus/Study Skills in Communication Arts (PWP/CA); the programs Basic Skills Academy/Comprehensive Competencies program and Auxiliary Service for High Schools Basic Skills; Basic Reading; and Project YOU. These…

A review of the literature related to the impact of vocational education on student retention determined that various types of vocational education programs and approaches have been successful in keeping students in school. Other research showed that vocational education played a role in student retention only when coupled with other components…

This paper examines existing research regarding the problem of school dropouts. It examines the historical context of the problem and discusses current definitions and methods for identifying dropout characteristics and computing dropout rates. Few incentives exist for accurate record-keeping on dropouts. School finances are often linked to…

Knowledge of and use of the information provided by learning style theories can be of help in providing better educational experiences for students. Learning style preferences are of particular significance in programs such as allied health/health occupations education that practice selective admissions. Since the students have all been judged…

This paper reviews the literature on urban school dropouts and the experiences of superintendents in attempting to lower the dropout rate. The paper is divided into two major sections. Part I examines how a mixture of societal, community, family and other influences increase the chances that an at-risk student will experience little success in…

Presents excerpts from 12 case studies of rural at-risk students. Examines their common characteristics, the high prevalence of at-risk students in rural areas, the relationship of this phenomenon to rural cultures, and prevention and treatment factors in the school and community. Contains 16 references. (SV)

Content analysis of dropout literature, 1984-88, identified school, peer, home/family, and intrapersonal variables related to dropping out, which were used in questionnaire development. The 269 out of 475 randomly selected American Council on Rural Special Education members indicated 11 dropout causes that should be national priorities for…

Reviews the literature on the reasons that students drop out of college. Offers a plan for freshman retention that asks students about their goals at registration, provides them with a six-hour orientation emphasizing academic excellence, teams them with a faculty mentor, and includes a mandatory for-credit seminar on attending college. (DMM)

The truancy problem has become one of the most troubling issues that school administrators face while attempting to reform public education. This paper describes the legal evolution of efforts to reduce school truancy and the economic impact of truancy on society. Solutions range from reducing the number of required years of schooling to…

This report highlights recommendations made in recent research reports concerning the role of vocational education in enhancing the success of students at risk of dropping out of school. It has been found that components of vocational education programs successful at retaining students include mechanisms for helping at-risk youth to follow…

Overall, federal and state tax codes treat employer investments in human capital more favorably than investment in physical plant and equipment. The most important advantage is that training expenditures can be dispensed immediately, rather than depreciated over time, possibly resulting in a subsidy of 33 percent. In addition, employers who use…