Contrasts the ideal of equal educational opportunity with the growing high school dropout problem. Reviews the Education Commission of the States' challenge to educators, business leaders, and policymakers to prevent students from dropping out and make job and educational opportunities available to those who have already left school. (DMM)

The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) has provided an alternative school program for students with long-term suspensions since the 1995-96 school year. Since 1996-97, the WCPSS has contracted with a private firm to operate the Richard M. Milburn High School (RMHS), as an alternative learning center. This Executive Summary highlights the…

Results from the first two years of an effort in 10 high schools to replicate the California Peninsula Academies Program are reported. The combination of core academic curriculum with technical instruction in an occupational field has resulted in better grades and more course credits for participants than for non-participants. (SLD)

Describes dropout prevention model of teamwork between teacher and graduate social work intern at inner-city alternative public high school. Notes that model provides framework for programmatic responses to problems of school dropouts among inner-city minority youths and also furnishes new opportunities for intern training in school social work.…

This report, produced by the National High School Center at the American Institutes for Research, outlines steps that schools can take to identify at-risk students and provide the necessary support systems and relevant interventions to assist students in obtaining a high school diploma. Further, the report discusses the use of early warning data…

The "National Dropout Prevention Newsletter" is published quarterly by the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Preparing for the Demands of the New World Economy (Patrick J. O'Connor); (2) Connecting At-Risk Youth to the High-Performance Workforce (Patrick J. O'Connor); (3) Butler…

State Compensatory Education (SCE) is a supplemental program designed to eliminate disparities in (a) student performance on assessment instruments administered under Chapter 39 of the Texas Education Code (1995, amended 2007), and (b) the rates of high school completion between students who are at risk of dropping out of school, as defined by…

Stay-in-School is a Canadian government initiative launched in the early 1990's encouraging young Canadians to build a solid foundation for the future by finishing high school and by acquiring the skills needed for the labor force of tomorrow. Three fundamental principles guided the initiative: (1) compassion, caring, and commitment are essential…

This document describes "Stay a Winner," a program designed to reduce the dropout rate at North Pitt High School in Bethel, North Carolina by providing a focused, more meaningful curriculum; improved instructional processes; use of multimedia technology; and an emphasis on multicultural diversity. It is noted that funding for the program…

Youth Opportunities Unlimited is a summer residential program for Arkansas high school students at risk of dropping out of school. During 1989-91, 517 14- and 15-year-old students completed the program, which consisted of two academic classes, a job skills class, and paid employment during 60 days residence on a university campus. Additional…

Many students who enter public schools leave without achieving what has become the expected minimum level of educational attainment, a high school diploma. The purpose of this study was to contribute to existing dropout-prevention research by identifying and validating reliable decision rules for differentiating actual dropouts from high school…

Representing a school-based intervention strategy, the plan presented within this document was designed to help build a student's self-concept and to provide positive interactions between a student having difficulty succeeding at school and school personnel. While the plan is not intended to be a recipe for success with at risk students, it does…

This research project was conducted by McNeese State University College of Education in the fall of 1985 to analyze the problem of high school dropouts in Louisiana. Supervisors of the 64 school parishes in the state's educational system received a questionnaire and were asked to make copies and randomly select at least ten high school dropout…

This report provides direction for the development of a cohesive state policy and plan for the state of Oregon regarding services for at-risk youth. It is also intended to serve as a guide for school districts, community colleges, state agencies, and communities in the further development and improvement of programs for at-risk youth. Section I of…

The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers that deter students from completing a vocational program in Oklahoma high schools. The 2,173 program leavers and 1,000 school leavers who were in vocational education as eleventh graders during the 1981-82 school year were chosen as a representative sample and were surveyed to ascertain the…