Due to the unusually high number of adolescent mothers in the United States, public concern surrounding the issue of teenage motherhood has accelerated. In order to understand this birth trend, an ecological framework which considers multiple aspects of the lives of teenage mothers is presented here. The study, which uses the National Education…

Argues that high schools may deal with serious academic and disciplinary problems by legitimizing student withdrawal while ensuring the possibility of reentry. Contends that compulsory education without high academic standards undermines the educational system. Uses the example of George and Ira Gershwin to support an elective dropout program. (AF)

Reviews research on two programs designed to reduce dropout rates and four designed to increase college attendance among at-risk students in middle and high schools. Successful programs emphasized creating meaningful bonds between students and teachers, connecting students to the future, providing jobs and academic assistance, and giving students…

This article describes a successful alternative school located in northwest Wyoming. Students who attend this school need an atmosphere that is accepting of their differences and allows them to express themselves without fear of ridicule or punishment. These children are looking for a safe, secure place to complete their education, a place where…

The Career Education Center (CEC) is an alternative high school educational program than began in 1989 to serve the needs of adolescents in New York City who are homeless, educationally disadvantaged, do not fit into a traditional high school setting, or who are awaiting foster care placement. The CEC supports these students, bolsters their…

This digest describes three programs for middle and high school language minority students at risk of dropping out of school. Two of the programs are geared toward limited-English-proficient Hispanic youth, and the third, a vocational program, involves African-American students as well. The first program described is the Coca-Cola Valued Youth…

A 1-year research project was undertaken to discover how the arts could help keep at-risk high school students in school. The project was conducted in three phases. In phase 1, recent literature was reviewed to define criteria for the at-risk student and to identify implications for the arts in dropout prevention programs. Phase 2 consisted of…

Leaving school early has a dramatic impact on Hispanic girls, because Latinas face greater barriers than males when seeking high-wage jobs and opportunities in postsecondary education. This Digest examines how gender roles, families, schools, and friends influence Latinas in their education and career decisions, and outlines practical dropout…

The Ninth Grade Restructuring Program 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…

An alternative high school program was evaluated. In 1990 the Program for Alternative Comprehensive Education (PACE) enrolled 40 students in grades 9 through 12 from 20 school districts in Nassau County (New York). Students had been assessed as being at risk for dropping out. The curriculum emphasized self-paced learning in an individualized,…

This document analyzes the results of a follow-up study about specific factors that distinguish between students likely to drop out and those who stay in school and graduate. The dropout interview form, which was administered to dropouts in the original study, was revised and administered by counselors to 180 seniors who were in the lower four…

Helping reduce the dropout rate and improving the school attendance of high-risk students who were under court sanction to attend school was the focus of this practicum conducted in a rural community in the northeast region of Florida. The project was necessary because: (1) existing youth services handled individuals adjudicated as delinquent…

The Part-Time Jobs portion of the Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) Program in New York City provided job-readiness training and job placements in an effort to motivate students to improve academic achievement and school attendance. Programs were implemented at schools with a student attendance rate at or below the citywide median…

A study of Hispanic students in predominantly minority high schools in five American cities found that parental expectations for a child's educational attainment are important to high school completion. Based on the survey responses of the Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central American students in that study, the following…

Career Advancement through Bilingual Educational Skills (Project CABES) completed the second year of a 3-year funding cycle at Seward Park High School on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Project CABES serves 233 recently immigrated, predominantly low-income, ninth through twelfth grade, Hispanic students of limited English proficiency (LEP). Included…