The DELTA program of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas) is an open-entry, open-exit competency-based diploma program in 10 high schools that is designed to help recover former dropouts and to prevent students who are at risk from dropping out. Instruction in the program is individualized and self-paced, but goals for the DELTA…

Education for Employment (EFE) is an intervention program offered by the Chesapeake Public School Division (Virginia) Vocational Education Department to motivate high school students to stay in school by offering a program of basic living skills, human relations skills, and marketable skills training that prepares a student for employment on…

Information on alternative education and programs for potential dropouts and dropouts in Iowa is compiled in this directory. Data were obtained from reports submitted to the Iowa Association of Alternative Education (IAAE) and from out-of-state sources. Following the introduction and information on the IAAE, 15 sections present information on the…

This report provides statistical information on the characteristics of students who dropped out of North Carolina public schools during the 1992-93 academic year. Statistical data are provided for each of the state's local education agencies in the areas of number of dropouts and dropout rates, as well as demographic data and dropout comparisons…

The California Partnership Academies Program is a highly successful school/business collaboration that allows students who are at risk of not graduating from high school to see clearly the connection between school and the workplace. The following key components are discussed: (1) an at-risk student population made up largely of the educationally…

Lack of data on California high school graduation and dropout rates prompted the development of a research method for determining graduation and dropout rates for the Region II Migrant Education enrolled high school Class of 1985. The most accurate method of estimating these rates was to track individual students through their high school years.…

This practicum paper describes the design and implementation of a mentoring program to improve the academic achievement of black male urban high school students. The program utilizes black adult mentors from both the community and the school's faculty. Mentors function as role models, advisers, and resource persons. The program design includes the…

This study reports students' perceptions of their school's curriculum, support services, attendance policies, and social-learning climate. The study analyzed the interview responses of a sample of 236 students, administrators, teachers, and counselors at 6 Florida high schools representing a range of graduation rates. The following general…

New York State has the fifth highest dropout rate in the United States. Between 1980 and 1984 the dropout rate ranged between 32.8 percent and 34 percent. During the 1980-81 school year alone, over half (53 percent) of black high school students dropped out of school. Several approaches have been tried to decrease numbers of dropouts. This report…

The Reach-Out Program served as an enriched guidance service for potential dropouts. It sought, by closer contact with the home, to improve pupil attitude, attendance, punctuality, and reading competence and to make pupils and parents aware of those services available in school and community that would facilitate learning and maturity. The program…

The self-concept of minority youth serves as the organizing focus for this paper. The various social and cultural forces which converge on this population are highlighted, as are the resulting deficiencies: (1) poor self-image; (2) frustration about high school; and (3) limited ability to communicate. A special program at the Casa Grande, Arizona…

The General Educational Development (GED) Tests date from 1942, when the United States Armed Forces Institute designed a battery of tests to provide military personnel and veterans the opportunity to obtain a credential that demonstrated proficiency on par with high school graduates. Since World War II, the GED Tests have also been beneficial to…

This evaluation of the Detroit (Michigan) public schools was designed to restructure the ninth grade in ways that improve academic performance, develop positive attitudes toward learning, improve the school environment, reduce the dropout rate, and increase the graduation rate of students. Features of the program were instructional and direct…

One of the most enduring challenges facing the public school system is decreasing the dropout rate. The highest rate of growth population in the future will be among the groups who are at greatest risk of dropping out of school. This paper outlines what school officials can do to decrease the dropout rate. The suggestions for dropout prevention…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was created to address the unsatisfactory learning outcomes of U.S. students, especially minority and poor students who continue to perform at significantly lower levels than their peers. The NCLB requires states, districts, and high schools to take steps to ensure that all students meet high academic…