The focus is on strategies used by 10 urban districts to reduce school dropouts. Thirty-eight strategies for dropout prevention were identified. Although the majority identified dropout prevention strategies, only two districts referred to "recovery programs." If district spokespersons mentioned their CEOs using a systems approach in…

This report summarizes the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations of an analysis of 1985-86 outcomes of New York City's state-funded Attendance Improvement-Prevention (AI/DP) program and the city-funded Dropout Prevention Program. The central goal of the evaluation was to understand conditions which encouraged success in middle school…

This document comprises the proceedings of a conference that brought together administrators, researchers, and faculty from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to address the growing problem of retaining black students. Activities were structured into 5 general sessions, 16 concurrent sessions, and 2 special sessions. Principal…

This essay is a companion document to a statistical study of student dropouts conducted by the San Diego City Schools. Various definitions of dropout are presented, as well as a discussion of types of dropout or attrition rates: (1) annual dropout rate; (2) enrollment ratio dropout rate; (3) cumulative tracking dropout rate; and (4) estimated…

This dropout prevention guide was designed to assist school districts in identifying potential dropouts and in developing and implementing programs that provide prevention, intervention, and remediation. The introductory section briefly reviews the purpose, design, and origin of this guide and recognizes national dropout concerns, the…

This paper provides information about Newark (New Jersey) high school students who have officially dropped out of school. The report is divided into four sections. The first section is an overview of the dropout rate of two cohorts of students: freshmen in 1979-80, and freshmen in 1980-81. The second section includes 1984-85 data, based on monthly…

A study was conducted at Shelby State Community College (SSCC) in Tennessee to determine the extent, causes, and solutions to the problem of student retention. The study involved: (1) a comparative analysis of headcounts to assess the extent of the dropout problem, which indicated that enrollments declined sharply from 5,289 in 1983 to 3,399 in…

While the national study reported here reveals recent medical school attrition rates to be lower than for 1949-58 entrants, the rate for women and underrepresented minorities is still less than for white males, although the gap appears to be narrowing. Recommendations for optimum retention are included. (Editor/JT)

A WORKSHOP DEALING WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT WAS HELD FOR THE PURPOSES OF DISSEMINATING INFORMATION AND REVIEWING RESEARCH IN THIS FIELD. ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE FOR THE DROPOUT IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE NOT NEW, BUT THE BASIS FOR IMPLEMENTING A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE TEACHER ACCEPTANCE OF THE STUDENT ON STUDENT TERMS. ALL EFFORTS TO…

A THREE YEAR STUDY, WHICH WAS MADE OF DROPOUTS IN 49 SMALL SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE TEXAS SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT, WAS MADE TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF DROPOUTS, THEIR AGE, GRADE, SEX, AND REASON FOR DROPPING OUT. THREE FIGURES AND THREE CHARTS SUMMARIZE THE RESULTS. THE STUDY REVEALED THAT (1) MORE MALES DROPPED OUT THAN FEMALES, (2) THE AVERAGE…

Describes dropout prevention programs in the School District of Philadelphia: (1) High School Academies, schools within schools that provide a holistic approach to the transition from school to work; (2) Jobsearch; (3) Education for Employment Initiative, an effort to coordinate programs that prepare students for employment; and (4) Vocational…

Although the national reports have not focused on the problem, effective schools must address the needs of potential school dropouts. The author rebuts some of the common arguments against dropout prevention programs, arguing that successful dropout prevention is one of the key indicators of overall school effectiveness. (Author/TE)

Both financial and personal losses occur for students dropping out of higher education. Intervention programs designed to reduce student attrition have been suggested, and it is important to consider the extent to which these strategies can be effectively implemented. (MSE)

Assessed the effectiveness of a 12-week intervention program on potential dropouts (N=55). The results revealed that the experimental intervention did impact significantly on retention and absence rates, but student attitudes were not significantly affected. Results pose serious questions concerning the generalizations of the self-concept to…

Provides an overview of the status of Latino admissions, enrollment, and retention in colleges and universities in the State of Illinois. Focuses on (1) the use of standardized tests for Hispanic admissions and (2) access to the TRIO programs (special services to address retention problems) by Hispanics. (Author/GC)