The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between selected factors and voluntary attrition occurring during the freshman year at Montgomery College (Maryland) in the 1969-70 academic year. The study sample was 952 of the 1748 freshmen: 476 students that had voluntarily terminated attendance at college prior to beginning their second…

Computer Assisted Instruciton (CAI) helps schools meet the challenge of student dropouts. CAI provides individualized instruction, a positive learning experience, and immediate feedback. Black students at Chicago's Williams Elementary School have gained in reading and math. CAI projects in Louisville, Kentucky, and Baltimore have improved academic…

Describes cooperative efforts of teachers, counselor, school social worker, psychologist, nurse, attendance officer and principal to identify and work with children and families of children whose behaviors indicate they are potential dropouts. Three-step approach includes (a) practical recommendations, (b) implementation responsibilities, and (c)…

The effectiveness of a mentoring program for 53 at-risk college students was investigated. The results indicated that the mentoring intervention had a positive impact on retention and grade point averages for this student cohort. (EV)

The Young Adult Education Program in Arlington Heights (Illinois) offers high school credit classes in the evening to serve at-risk students who have left the regular day school. Students earn a diploma from the high school in their attendance area. On a bare-bones budget, the program graduates approximately 65 percent of its enrolled students.…

Describes a South Carolina program, "Tender Loving Counseling," designed to identify potential dropouts for group and individual counseling. Describes focus of the program to be on building self-concept, motivation, and study skills. (TE)

The authors of the book "Reducing the Risk: Schools as Communities of Support" are interviewed. The book proposes a research-based theory of dropout prevention that stresses the importance of school membership and networks of support. (TE)

Many students drop out of school because they feel that they are unteachable and unliked by administrators and teachers. Teachers may not be aware of how they send negative messages to at-risk students. The solution can be found in improving relationships between at-risk students and school staff members. This approach is often overlooked by…

As part of its dropout prevention efforts, the state of Florida offers currently enrolled high school students the opportunity to earn a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. This new graduation option for at-risk students makes frequent use of computer-assisted instruction, operates a counseling component, integrates vocational…

The Durham Public Schools Communities in Schools (CIS) Academy provides a student-centered environment that encourages high-risk students to remain in school and get back on track for graduation. Program operations began in January 1995. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the first semester of operations (the second semester of…

Because at-risk students may feel alienated from school, educational reforms may be useful that make school a more supportive place. While many students identified as "at-risk" may drop out of high school, many others could be better described as "pushouts." These students may desire to stay in school and graduate, but feel pressure to leave.…

A project identified as potential dropouts 53 Springfield (Ohio) South High School freshmen and 24 London (Ohio) High School juniors and seniors who demonstrated irregular attendance patterns and poor grade achievement. The 53 freshmen and 15 London High School students were enrolled in a career club, an intervention program to address their…

This presentation describes dropout facts and prevention methods based on nationwide interviews with dropout runaways. Potential dropout runaways might be labeled the "distracted ones." They have trouble concentrating in a typical classroom situation as they are distracted by events that happened at home or that might happen after school. Such…

The report evaluates the 1985-86 Special Education Attendance Improvement/Dropout Prevention and Dropout Prevention (AIDP/DPP) programs as they operated in 45 New York City sites. City tax-levy DPP funds were allocated during the 1985-86 school year to the Division of Special Education to expand existing state-funded AIDP services for at-risk…

This monograph was written to provide information on which students drop out of school and why, and to examine successful dropout prevention programs. Research is reviewed which has identified characteristics of dropouts and their reasons for leaving school. Other studies are cited which explore characteristics of effective dropout prevention…