Background: Early school leaving and dropout are widely recognized as problems, leading to further marginalization and exclusion of young people from society at large. The Finnish government has set a target that, by the year 2008, 96% of those who complete compulsory education will continue without interruption in secondary education or in the…

Lowering the student dropout rate in America is one of the most significant challenges facing educators today. This book calls attention to this problem, and offers hope and suggestions on how to resolve it using effective strategies taken from research and personal observations gleaned from successful dropout prevention programs in school…

Reviews research on the characteristics of the dropout (relationships, socioeconomic status, attitudes, behavior, school performance); the economic and social costs of dropping out; and current efforts for dropout assistance or dropout prevention. (SJL)

Reports on data taken from the General Social Survey that found a link between "heavy metal" rock fanship and suicide acceptability. Finds that relationship becomes nonsignificant once level of religiosity is controlled. Heavy metal fans are low in religiosity, which contributes to greater suicide acceptability. (Author/JDM)

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…

This document summarizes the findings of a study of the reasons why some at-risk youth persist in special programs while others drop out. Information was gathered from 16 focus group sessions comprised of both "persisters" and "leavers" from in-school remedial programs and out-of-school youth service corps. The findings,…

Recent literature suggests it is not students' backgrounds, but schools' response to students' backgrounds that determines students' success in school. School practices and policies adopted in response to student performance in attendance, academics, and behavior also have a significant impact on students' decision to leave school before…

High schools in the United States face tremendous challenges involving changes in cultural and economic forces and necessities. They need to transform themselves into places of learning where knowledge is relevant to students' needs and aspirations. Because many traditional high school structures are large, compartmentalized, and impersonal, they…

Estimates of the current national dropout rate during grades 9-12 ranged between 25 percent and 30 percent. Studies were undertaken to determine the characteristics of dropouts; the consequences of dropping out of school; and associations between dropping out and specific curricula, including the occupational curriculum. Because of methodological…

This paper presents a study designed to determine the reason first and post-first year students (N=61) chose to leave Chicago Urban University (CUU) prior to graduation. Data were sought from a random sample of 100 students via either a mailed or a telephone survey, with a 61% response rate. The 54-question interview/survey instrument examined the…

Survey of 22 rural Australian youth, aged 12-18 and not attending school or work, found that youth were strongly motivated towards creative, practical, and life skills learning. Describes a model of the phenomenon of "street kids" at the intersection of youth unemployment, homelessness, and truancy. Recommends establishment of pilot…

Models that have appeared in the student attrition literature in the past decade and behavioral models from the social sciences that may help explain the dropout process are examined, and an attempt is made to synthesize a causal model of student attrition. The models of Tinto, Spady, and Rootman in the area of student attrition, and models of…

This paper reports on a study of high school dropouts ages 16-24 in a rural county in Illinois. Specifically, the study reports on descriptive data pertaining to high school dropouts, focusing on those who chose to return to education; changes in student views and perceptions regarding education; and efforts by the school system to encourage…

This study used data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 and follow-up data collected in 1990, 1992, and 1994, to examine the characteristics and personal/educational factors related to gifted high school dropouts (n=3,520). Results indicate: (1) many gifted students left school because they were failing school, did not like…

This paper reviews research on best practices for preventing students with mild disabilities from dropping out of high school. Findings from the literature review indicate there is a consensus among the researchers that warning signs for school dropout among students with mild disabilities include: poor attendance, academic difficulties,…