The primary purpose of the research presented in this paper is to develop a more complete model of educational attainment. Age at first birth is examined by multiple regression, along with other independent variables that have been found to affect educational attainment, including age at marriage. The second purpose of this paper is to address the…

Educational planners are concerned with the inflow of pupils in order to plan for adequate facilities and sufficient teachers. Statistics on repeaters, however, enable the determination of the flow of pupils through and from the educational system. Since repeaters cost educational systems double in the form of expenses for teachers and equipment,…

Participation of minority students within health science career preparation programs is investigated in this study from the University of Washington. The history of minority admissions to medical and nursing schools throughout the country is reviewed. Health sciences programs for minorities at the university are discussed and the impact of the…

This report identifies and analyzes forces in the schooling process that create delays in completions, that limit attainment, that foster the drop out rate and that reduce chances for higher education among Puerto Ricns in metropolitan areas in the U.S., as revealed by statistics from the 1970 census. In this study, an explanatory set of social…

Controversies over graduation rates and No Child Left Behind have raged in research, media and political circles for almost a year. All too often, though, when complex issues of social and economic importance collide with policy and politics, heat is generated but little light. As a result, it may be difficult for local educators to parse the…

This study used current data from a cohort of eighth graders in the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 to test whether dropping out of high school and other measures of educational performance and involvement influenced the likelihood of having a school-age birth for whites, blacks, and Hispanics. Three major sets of independent…

Explores the determining factors which influence the dropout rates among Hispanics by analyzing and comparing Chicano, Cuban and Puerto Rican student populations. Factors identified include confrontation, accelerated role taking, social background, school environment, sociopsychological motivation, and immigrant status. Suggests that school…

Reports on a study of 14,249 students to determine whether participation in specific extracurricular activities (athletics and fine arts) significantly reduces a student's likelihood of dropping out. Finds that, when all activities are examined, only athletic participation remains significantly related to dropping out. (ACM)

A recent project collected and analyzed student success indicators generated by six high schools from a large, midwestern school corporation. Schools with clear student goals and enhanced professional-development opportunities made more successful transitions to block schedules. High achievers remained successful; low-achievers struggled under…

Presents a case study of 13 tribal college students who either completed or dropped out of their programs. Identifies societal, organizational, institutional, family, and individual factors associated with these students' completion, including: (1) lack of money; (2) inadequate preparation; (3) health problems; and (4) housing problems. Contains…

An important predictor of whether students remain in school or withdraw is their ability to identify with academics. Consistent with Ogbu's (1992) cultural inversion and Steele's (1992) stereotype threat hypotheses, research has shown that Black and Hispanic students tend to demonstrate higher levels of academic disidentification relative to Asian…

Over a 4-year period, researchers measured several outcomes in 5 school districts initiating or enhancing character education programs. Based on student, teacher, and administrator surveys, there was a noticeable improvement in character-related behavior. In certain districts, suspension and drop-out rates also decreased after the implementation…

This testimony discusses the role that individual student grants play in reducing the dropout rate of minority college students, and presents the results of research on the effects of grants and loans on college attendance. Conclusions are based on the High School and Beyond longitudinal study, which followed representative 1980 high school…

The research analyzed data sets covering 1981-1985 enrollments, transfers, and withdrawals at two large urban high schools (called Urbana and Northern) in eastern Massachusetts and personal interviews with selected school administrators in four school districts to investigate high dropout rates among Hispanics. Findings indicated that 30% of the…

This study was conducted to determine if there was a significant difference in the rate of success between initially matriculated and provisionally accepted students in the Master of Business Administration program at Dowling College (Oakdale, New York). Provisionally accepted students have met all admissions criteria except that they have scored…