Information submitted by state education agencies in a survey concerning limited-English-proficient (LEP) populations and available educational services in 1991-92 is summarized. The report contains data in tabular and graphic form with some narrative analysis. An introductory section describes the national study and state surveys, data…

This report uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students (NLTS) to examine four dimensions of school performance: (1) student engagement in their education, as measured by the average number of days of school missed in a year; (2) student learning, as indicated by their grade point averages, receipt of…

This book provides a synthesis of wide-ranging research on student attrition at American colleges and universities and outlines actions that institutions can and should take to reduce attrition. The key to effective retention is shown to lie in a strong commitment to quality education and the building of a strong sense of inclusive educational and…

This study focuses on school system characteristics that affect the dropout rate in the Chicago public high schools. Although the primary variable for investigation is attendance rate, other school system variables examined include type of school, percentage of low-income students in a school, and the overall level of student ability for a school…

Females, minorities, and older students are entering higher education at an increasing rate. The influx of these "nontraditional" students has led to quite different enrollment patterns, in which stopping out of college and part-time enrollment are common. Most students have objectives that are not synonymous with earning a baccalaureate degree…

A follow-up study of undergraduate student attrition at Indiana University is presented. It builds upon previous research on student attrition documenting high rates of attrition among Black and Hispanic undergraduates. It also builds upon the Conceptual Model of Black Student Attrition. One goal is to compare persisters and non-persisters within…

More than three-fourths of students starting at four-year institutions earn a bachelor's degree or are still enrolled six years later. Of students who started at a public two-year institution, more than half earned some kind of degree or were still enrolled. At the same time, certain students are at particular risk of dropping out, and there are…

A two-phase study examined the incidence and nature of dropout and progression from basic skills programs in England and Wales. During the first (retrospective) phase, data about 1,920 students' attendance/dropout patterns and reasons' for finishing/leaving their basic skills programs were obtained from 82 tutors (of more than 300 contacted) in 8…

This research brief reviews and analyzes national data on college going, persistence, and graduation. It compares characteristics of students who enter college immediately after high school graduation with other types of postsecondary entrants, considers traditional versus nontraditional paths of college going, and examines college persisters and…

This paper explores the practical implications of the distributional perspective on dropping out of school--a perspective that says that the concentration of student exodus from certain schools may reflect the impact of contextual or organizational factors as opposed to those that operate simply at the individual level. Based on data from the…

This report updates information on trends in the participation of Hispanics, American Indians, Asian Americans, and African Americans in colleges and universities. Included are data concerning high school completion rates, college participation rates, undergraduate and graduate enrollments, and degree completion. Because the Hispanic population is…

Student attrition rates and retention efforts in the California State University and Colleges (CSUC) are summarized to assist policymakers and planners. Extensive supplementary materials are also provided, including four questionnaires, campus statistics, and worksheets for predicting withdrawal. Summaries for the 19 campuses of CSUC provide an…

This study sought to identify and analyze critical factors in a Hispanic student's decision to persist or drop out at California state four-year institutions. In-depth telephone interviews with 151 Hispanic American students at five University of California campuses and seven California State University campuses were conducted. The interviews…

This volume contains 14 papers from international sources that outline fundamental concepts and research interests connected to the measurement of quality in postsecondary education. Some of the papers consist of concept papers and others are more extensive reports of research underway or findings from recently concluded studies. The papers are as…

The number of American Indian and Alaska Native students who leave the Anchorage School District without graduating or transferring to another school system has shown a slight but steady decline since the completion of "Alaskan Native Early School Leavers Study" in May 1982. The reasons for students leaving school have remained much the…