Students who drop out of high school before graduating are of concern to families, educators, and policymakers. To obtain information on the scope of the dropout problem, three sources of national data were reviewed: (1) the Bureau of the Census' Current Population Survey; (2) the Center for Statistics' Common Core of Data; and (3) the Center for…

The goal of the FOCUS project is the development and implementation of an alternative school program for high school students which will provide relevant opportunities for student growth, both personal and academic, and thereby reduce the number of dropouts, academic failures, and pupil indifference and disenchantment. Part I of the document deals…

Peer counselors (N=16) trained in human relations techniques, group dynamics, and decision-making skills conducted small groups with 122 potential dropouts. A five-way factorial multivariate analysis showed significant improvement in counselee attendance and decisiveness over the control groups, but results were inconclusive in demonstrating the…

Today and every day, in neighborhoods and communities throughout Philadelphia, young people are making decisions that will change their lives forever. Some will decide to stay in school, graduate, and prepare themselves for college and careers. Others, who left school without a diploma, will summon the courage to seek out educational programs they…

"Planned", "artificial", or "formal" mentoring of students at risk of dropping out of high school has become an important component of many school systems over the past few years. Mentoring of at risk students appears to have originated in the United States in the 1980's. In Canada, at risk student mentoring programs…

This paper discusses several demographic, economic, and technological trends with implications for rural education and dropout rates in the coming decades. As the American population ages, the focus of public policy will shift from youth services to health, safety, and environmental issues. This shift is likely to result in lower levels of funding…

Dropout rates for Hispanic students are approximately twice those of white Anglo students. This paper reviews the literature on dropout and examines the effects of self-esteem, career and school expectations, family structure, and English language proficiency on the Hispanic youth's decision to drop out. A questionnaire was completed by 139…

The School-Community Guidance Center (SCGC) is an Austin, Texas alternative education program for high-risk students. It employs three project specialists to work with high-risk and delinquent students at two locations, Rice secondary school and a juvenile detention center. Most of the students are referred for disciplinary reasons. Students in…

This report, compiled by the North Carolina State Board of Education's Office for Dropout Prevention, provides dropout data, reasons for students' dropping out of school, and approaches for keeping students in school until successful completion of their education. Facts and figures for dropout rates of high school and the extended day school…

A THREE-YEAR SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS AND POTENTIAL DROPOUTS IS DESCRIBED. EMPHASIS IS PLACED UPON--(1) SELF-ANALYSIS LEADING TO NEW ATTITUDES, (2) IMPROVED MASTERY OF ENGLISH, READING, MATH, AND STUDY SKILLS, (3) A SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE WHICH INCREASES STUDENT CONFIDENCE, AND (4) A PROFESSIONAL STAFF WHICH IS…

While some comfort can be taken from the figures which indicate a growing retention rate, there is considerable concern over the very large percentage of students who do not complete full schooling. In the first experiment in order to address the question of the differential effects of variables on school retention across a range of cultural…

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 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…

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…

Although Florida law requires job placement and follow-up services for all students graduating or leaving the school system, there is a lack of understanding about contributing causes and possible solutions to the problem of high school dropouts. To gather information to develop an innovative program to reach dropouts and potential dropouts, 282…