This report, which is the eighth in a series, presents data for 1995 on high school dropout and retention rates, and examines high school completion and graduation rates. In addition to extending time series data from earlier reports, this report focuses on three specific subpopulations that are at particular risk of dropping out of school: (1)…

Chicano student achievement remains low at virtually all stages of the educational pipeline but the low rates of postsecondary matriculation and persistence are especially alarming. Tinto (1993) has described student persistence in higher education as a longitudinal process of interaction between an individual student and his/her institutional…

The incidence of pregnancy among young teenagers has increased dramatically in the past several decades. Young single mothers are much more likely than others to leave school before graduation and to be unemployed and poor. This study was conducted to identify differences in completion, school attendance rates, and grades for secondary and adult…

This study was conducted to determine causes for attrition among students in an Adult Basic Education (A.B.E.) program located in a non-metropolitan area. Dropouts and completers were compared by demographic characteristics and by sources of difficulty (nonschool-related, school-related, and affective) in attending class. In addition, causes for…

A study examined the relationship between: (1) the balance struck between career and technical education (CTE) and academic course-taking during the high school years; and (2) academic achievement, persistence in high school, and postsecondary destinations. Data for the study were drawn from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988. The…

A study explored possible reasons why technical and further education (TAFE) students enrolling in vocational education and training (VET) courses in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia do not complete those courses. Findings were based on these two kinds of evidence: evidence obtained from a statistical investigation of the outcomes…

Youngstown State University (Ohio) established a full-cost renewable scholarship for 40 students annually who maintain a 3.5 or higher grade point average. The program is described, including results of the first three years' recruitment, first-year academic requirements, cocurricular activities, community service component, scholarship renewal,…

Critics of distance education frequently assert that completion rates are lower in distance education courses than in traditional courses. Such criticism comes despite sparse and inconclusive research on completion rates for distance and traditional education courses. This article reviews some of the existing research and then describes some of…

The project's objectives included: (1) increasing the enrollment and retention of academically talented students in teacher education programs at Kentucky State University (KSU), and (2) enhancing communication and collaboration between the university and key stakeholders in the community (parents and business, education, and policy leaders). The…

This report reviews the literature on high-risk students at the higher education level in terms of the following questions: are high-risk students and nontraditional students the same? what is the impact of high-risk students on institutions of higher education? are high-risk students treated differently in elementary and secondary schools? do…

The undergraduate population at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), an open enrollment four-year commuter college, is highly vulnerable to attrition. Fifty-two percent of the students enrolled between July 1, 1991 and July 1, 1995 either did not graduate after 4 years or did not return to school. In response, the college has developed…

This keynote address of the 1996 RETAIN Conference (Retention in Education for Today's American Indian Nations, University of Arizona) addresses factors affecting the retention of American Indian college students. Includes institutional strategies to meet the needs of American Indian students, student strategies to increase their chances for…

The author gives an overview of the main research findings concerning minority retention and graduation. (Contains 1 figure.)

The federal requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have placed a new focus on increasing graduation rates and reducing dropout rates. While the dropout problem has generated research and new programs over the last 30 years, the dropout rate has remained relatively unchanged. Students drop out of school for many reasons, and the…

This case study of a student retention program for at-risk students at Mount Hood Community College (Oregon) contends that student retention programs are seldom as holistic and comprehensive as intended. The study analyzed three areas: the design and implementation of a comprehensive program to improve student retention; the organizational…