This report describes two studies completed by the Child Advocacy Commission of Durham, North Carolina. The Durham school system has one of the lowest retention rates of any system in the state. The studies were used to advocate for and help implement new and better dropout prevention strategies in their schools. The report also outlines the need…

Vocational education has a significant role to play in dropout prevention because studies show a positive correlation between involvement in vocational education and school completion. Students involved in vocational education are more likely to be involved in school-sponsored activities that help them shape goals for themselves and the future.…

In spite of difficulties in analyzing student retention in community college programs and courses, certain facts about student attrition are known. First, students who drop out of class or school tend to have lower grades than students who persist. Second, the ability of students to drop in and out of community colleges at will has negative…

BECAUSE MORE STUDENTS THAN EVER BEFORE ARE WITHDRAWING FROM SCHOOL WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, SCHOOL-HOLDING POWER IS RECEIVING INCREASED ATTENTION. STUDIES REVEAL THAT STUDENTS WITHOUT A FORMAL HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION ARE HEADED TO DEAD END, MENIAL JOBS, THAT RELATIVELY FEW OF THEM WILL REACH THE SKILLED OR WHITE-COLLAR OCCUPATION…

This document was developed to (1) help clarify the various concepts of retention and attrition within a unifying conceptual framework, (2) synthesize the research on retention and attrition, and (3) examine the implications of the research for postsecondary administrators and researchers. Retention and attrition research pertains to both the…

Reasons why students withdrew from Southern Technical Institute were examined through a survey of 721 dropouts. A total of 257 responses were received and the reasons given by the students were classified as societal or nonsocietal. In this study, societal factors are defined as those elements of influence that are external to the institution. The…

In order to assess the effects of the remedial (foundations) program at Mohegan Community College (Connecticut) on students' academic performance and persistence in college, a study was made of 180 students who had enrolled in the Foundations Program between September 1971 and 1974, and 180 students who had scored below the 50th percentile on the…

Suggests ways that community colleges can improve the first-semester experiences of high-risk students, including block-programing students into learning communities, teaching basic skills across the curriculum, and linking students' jobs with learning experiences. (DMM)

Causes of inadequate educational results for poor and minority children are enumerated. Consequences of resultant increase in dropping out are listed. Solution involves tackling the following: (1) funding disparities between poor and affluent neighborhoods; (2) achievement gap between whites and minorities; (3) dearth of work-oriented programs;…

Cleveland's Comprehensive School-Age Parenting Program focuses on the following: (1) providing preventive health education to give middle school students a sense of identity and self-awareness; (2) preventing the mother from dropping out; and (3) helping the father cope with the situation and remain in school. (PS)

State policymakers have the following options in attempting to ameliorate the high school dropout problem: (1) additional money; (2) general aid or targeted aid; (3) incentives or mandates. Research findings on the effect of each of those options are summarized and suggestions for state policies are made. (PS)

A review of the annual report of Jobs for America's Graduates, Inc., regarding the activities of the Jobs for Florida's Graduates Program, concluded that the program had not met its goals. It does not appear that the program will meet its statutory outcome goals of an 82 percent student graduation rate and a 70-75 percent employment rate, and the…

It is difficult to evaluate the goals and effectiveness of programs to recruit and retain minority students in medical education by current methods. Management by objectives is proposed as an appropriate process for refining program goals and fairly evaluating the programs. (Author/MSE)

Provides and discusses a model for better understanding the critical relationship between academic advisement and student retention. Advisement is described as a developmental and student-centered activity. It is suggested that institutional retention efforts focus primary attention on improving those programs which increase the likelihood of a…

Interventions aimed at community college administrators, instructors, and counselors were shown to have a positive effect on academic year completion rates of vocational students when compared to nontreatment colleges. Treatments included a goal setting procedure, training in personalized systematic instruction, and training in counseling…