Describes how three Colorado school systems joined together and set up a dropout prevention commission that used a seven-step approach to work at reducing student dropout rates. (MD)

The percentage of students of all races and ethnicities lost from public school enrollment has worsened in Texas in recent years. This paper presents major findings from a recent attrition study by the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA). It also restates recommendations from the IDRA policy brief, "Missing Texas Youth…

Describes strategies used in a successful program to reduce dropout, failure, and suspension rates among Black and other minority group students in an urban high school. (ST)

Discussion of at-risk students focuses on the possible role of the school library in the prevention and reduction of dropouts. Topics discussed include locating relevant resources both within and external to the school; database searching; teaching information skills; integrating relevant materials into the curriculum; and making available…

High School and Beyond Study data for 744 public high schools were used to study the influence of school size on diversity of academic offerings, school social climate, and dropout rate. Potential links between school size and dropout rate were greatly attributable to social climate, especially concerning student participation. (SLD)

Miami Valley Career Technology Youth Connections, an alternative high school located in Dayton, Ohio, has an enrollment of 160 students and was created as a joint venture among local politicians to address the high dropout rates in Montgomery County, Ohio. To achieve this, the Montgomery County commissioners created a task force to develop…

This document presents a chart titled "Selected Federal Education Programs That Can Help Middle and High School Students Get an Excellent Education." It divides into five columns: (1) "No Child Left Behind" Programs (and Other Reauthorizations); (2) FY 2006 Final Appropriation; (3) FY 2007 Bush Budget; (4) FY 2007 House…

A recent study by Civic Enterprises for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation examined the views of diverse youth, ages 16-25, who had failed to complete high school. "The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts" lists students' reasons for leaving school and suggests actions that schools, states, and the federal government can take.…

This policy brief examines states' experiences and data regarding implementation of the transition planning mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It reports on a study which investigated whether implementation of transition planning was associated with decreased dropout rates for youth with disabilities and whether the format…

This report presents findings on school leaving, part of a 5-year study on the transition of youth with disabilities from secondary school to early adulthood. Telephone interviews were conducted in 1987 with parents of approximately 8,000 youth (ages 13 to 21 and enrolled in special education in 1985-86) representing all 11 federal special…

This booklet addresses the difficulties of comparing and drawing meaning from dropout data prepared by different agencies, and examines the characteristics of students--and of schools--that place students at risk for leaving school prematurely. The booklet describes prevention programs and presents evidence on their effectiveness. It reviews…

Guidelines designed to help individual communities achieve the second National Education Goal are offered in this document. The goal states that by the year 2000, the high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent. Eight suggestions for creating successful dropout prevention efforts are discussed: start early; set high…

This document presents recommendations to the Texas state legislature for meeting a 1997-98 goal of reducing the projected longitudinal and cross-sectional state dropout rates. Data for 1986 indicate that approximately 86,000 students were dropping out of Texas schools every year. The recommendations presented here were determined: (1) by tracing…

This paper identifies and assesses factors that may characterize students at risk of dropping out, based on a ninth grade class of Cincinnati (Ohio) public school students which was followed for five years, from 1984-85 to 1988-89. The paper aims to develop a quick, easy, and reliable method that teachers, counselors, and principals can use to…

There is no need for costly new state or federal dropout prevention programs because 87.1 percent of youth now complete a high school education by age 24, nearly achieving President George Bush's goal of a 90 percent graduation rate by the year 2000. Calculations of high national and urban dropout rates based on the number of students who do not…