Dropout prevention has become a compelling priority for school personnel. But high school dropout research leaves many school variables largely unexamined. This study describes a staffing committee that had been established in a large urban high school during the 1986-87 school year and responded specifically to referrals of students who were…

Using the findings of an earlier study regarding differences between student and teacher perceptions of what circumstances might contribute to a student's being "at risk," a follow-up study investigated what teachers and other school personnel can do to help at-risk students. Based on responses to two open-ended questions from the…

Reducing absences is the most readily available strategy that high schools have for reducing the number of dropouts. A sample of approximately 2,000 students who entered three Oregon urban high schools in the Fall of 1983 or 1984 was studied in order to establish criteria for identifying students who were at-risk of not graduating. The group was…

This practicum was conducted in a large high school for the purpose of improving grade point averages, attendance, and attitudes of student athletes at high risk with respect to eligibility to play sports. The program contained four basic components: (1) orientation; (2) implementation; (3) monitoring; and (4) evaluation. An orientation was…

Many organizations and experts in the field of mathematics education have recommended the inclusion of technology and, more specifically, computer programing within the course of study for the teaching of school mathematics. The incorporation of these recommendations with respect to the teaching of remedial mathematics poses a problem, since…

This report examines current practices in defining, identifying, documenting, and tracking school dropouts in Ogden City School District (Utah), as well as demographic and personal characteristics of Ogden's high school dropouts. Data collection included a review of school and district records, interviews with administrators and staff, and…

The Businesses as On-Site Schools (BOSS) program was established as a dropout prevention effort combined with employability training for at-risk high school students. The setting was a vocational/educational alternative center in Florida. Businesses were contacted, and verbal intent to provide on-the-job training and an onsite mentor was…

The Student Transition and Retention Program (STAR), one of 10 federally-funded model dropout prevention programs, was created to address the high dropout rate in Santa Ana (California) public high schools. Students participating in the STAR program, complete a vocational course providing them with important job skills, and also receive support to…

The negative impact of low attendance and the lack of effective, alternative classroom learning strategies are factors that mitigate against student interest and success in mathematics, particularly with respect to inner-city at-risk students. The goal of this practicum was to improve the problem-solving skills of a group of 50 alternative high…