The global shortage of skilled programmers remains a persistent challenge. High dropout rates in introductory programming courses pose a significant obstacle to graduation. Previous studies highlighted learning difficulties in programming students, but their specific weaknesses remained unclear. This gap exists due to the predominant focus on the…

Early socialization, cognitive differences, treatment by teachers, and curricular choices have a negative effect on both the self-esteem and academic achievement of young females. Program designers and policymakers should incorporate the following approaches into female dropout prevention programs: (1) academic encouragement; (2) counseling to…

In the late 1960's, educators and researchers became concerned with the dropout problem in large urban school districts. In Philadelphia, the Division of Pupil Personnel and Counseling (PPC) is responsible for collection of this data and reports this information to the state. The process has been computerized to cope with the large volume of data.…

This report describes the work of a college-wide committee on enrollment management appointed in the spring of 1988 at Arapahoe Community College (ACC), in Colorado, to investigate causes of student attrition. Chapter 1 lists the main points considered by the committee in their research, including a definition of student persistence, the…

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…

Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) received a grant to establish a centralized unit for job development, placement, and data monitoring that could serve as a model for the North Carolina Community College System. The first goal of the project was to establish a centralized method for collecting, recording, and maintaining job placement…

This report represents a synthesis of existing data on the basic skills of vocational students. An introduction provides background information, lists objectives, and describes the framework and methodology for the literature review and acquisition and analysis of four data bases: National Assessment of Education Progress, Supplemental…

This research project was conducted to identify the reasons for the low retention rate for adult students enrolled in the prep level of the General Educational Development (GED) programs offered by the Clinton County (Pennsylvania) Development Center for Adults. All adult students who attended class at least once from July 1998 through January…

Drawing from a review of the literature on issues related to student retention and attrition, and research on student attitudes toward the Community College of Denver (CCD), this report suggests four models for student retention programs for different two-year college student groups. Following introductory material on the project, a literature…

In an effort to develop early intervention strategies to increase student persistence, a study was conducted at Allegany Community College (ACC) in Cumberland, Maryland, of the common characteristics of withdrawing students. Student records were examined for the 84 students (out of a total of 2,999 enrolled) who withdrew in the first 3 weeks of…

This evaluation report of an attendance project in Portland, Oregon, public schools describes goals, methods, and results for 1985-86. The introduction states objectives of identifying, contacting, and counseling students leaving school or attending irregularly, with the purpose of guiding them into school or alternative educational programs. A…

Many volunteer literacy tutors in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, have not completed their 1-year tutoring commitment. Consequently, an action research project was undertaken to determine the causes of the high tutor turnover and to identify ways of improving the tutor retention rate. All tutors involved in the program from 1998 onward were asked…

The Houston Regional High-Technology Delivery System Model for Adult Literacy meets the need for a technology-based system to deliver instruction in basic literacy skills. The system provides multilevel instruction in reading, writing, and computation skills to out-of-school youth and under-educated adults. A variety of technologies are used to…