A study examined the differences between the experiences and beliefs about school held by young adolescents identified as potential dropouts and those held by their more successful peers. The study was conducted at a larger, urban junior high school with an ethnic composition of 47% Orientals, 31% Whites, 16% Hispanics, 6% Blacks and .3% Native…

The problem of high school dropouts has generated increased interest among researchers, policymakers, and educators in recent years. This paper examines the many issues involved in trying to understand and solve this complex social and educational problem. The issues are grouped into four areas, related to the incidence, causes, consequences, and…

This report presents the findings of a survey ("Programs and Activities Using Technology To Serve Students at Risk of School Failure") of a sampling of large school districts in the United States and Canada, conducted to obtain information on the use of technology to serve students at risk of school failure for the participants in a…

Part I of this paper reviews research on effects of vocational course work on dropout rates, probabilities of employment, earnings, productivity, and basic skills. The review is organized around 10 questions. Answers to these questions include: (1) vocational education lowers dropout rates; (2) economic benefits are substantial; (3) economic…

In the fall of 1985, 10 academy programs were established by the State of California as replications of the Peninsula Academies already operating in a local school district for four years. An academy is a modified high school program with the following specific elements, among others: (1) students with academic potential who are at risk of…

The Career Intern Program (CIP), inititated by the Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America (OIC/A) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1972, is an alternative high school for dropouts and potential dropouts and for youth who are otherwise educationally and economically disadvantaged and unemployable. CIP operates with the endoresment of,…

Holistic educational advancement programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, that are designed to develop the potential of underprepared and disadvantaged students are considered. Obstacles to success that might confront disadvantaged students include problems in adjustment to university life, loneliness, and negative self-concept. It is…

THE MAJOR EMPHASIS OF THE STUDY WAS UPON THE HYPOTHESIS THAT, AMONG ADOLESCENT BOYS, STRONG ORIENTATION TOWARD THE FATHER AND DISINTEREST IN THE YOUTH CULTURE WILL PREDICT INVOLVEMENT IN THE COLLEGE-BOUND HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND CONVERSELY, WEAK ORIENTATION TOWARD THE FATHER AND HIGH INVOLVEMENT IN THE YOUTH CULTURE WILL PREDICT POTENTIAL DROPOUT…

Recent census figures indicate that, compared to all races and ethnic groups, Hispanic students had the lowest rate of graduation from high school. This article explores possible predictors of dropout among Hispanic youth by comparing the Hispanic youth who dropped out of school between the 8th and 10th grade with those who continued. Data for the…

Considers different types of general purpose software being adapted by educators for use with at-risk students. Surveys software on basic skills, creativity and thinking skills, videodisks, and administrative packages. Includes a directory of products designed specifically for at-risk students. (MVL)

Although every school must develop its own dropout prevention programs, the framework for multifaceted solutions can be similar, involving a systemic approach consisting of the following: (1) identification and intervention policies; (2) interventions by educational leaders, teachers, and parents; (3) academic and support programs; and (4)…

Researchers investigated whether enrollment in high school vocational/business courses had more holding power than personal, social factors, using High School and Beyond survey data to examine 12 variables. Peer interest, sense of social belonging, and relationships with school staff differentially related to persistence, but participation in…

This report, which is the eighth in a series, presents data for 1995 on high school dropout and retention rates, and examines high school completion and graduation rates. In addition to extending time series data from earlier reports, this report focuses on three specific subpopulations that are at particular risk of dropping out of school: (1)…

Student and institutional characteristics related to college freshman persistence were studied. Persistence was examined for 5 institutions (5,950 students) at 4 points in time: end of first term, reenrollment in the spring, end of spring term, and reenrollment in the fall of the sophomore year. Data from a variety of sources were used, and…

This document describes a study that examined several factors to determine their influence on student social bonding to school, to peers, and to teachers. The study focused on factors related to students' personal and social backgrounds, school organization, and students' relationships with teachers and peers. Specifically, the researchers sought…