Argues that most dropout prevention attempts have been hampered by the lack of an unbiased, coherent and easily accessible source of data on the total and at risk populations of young people. Provides preliminary data on several groups of students not characterized by traditional dropout descriptors. Offers recommendations for improvement in…

This policy brief examines states' experiences and data regarding implementation of the transition planning mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It reports on a study which investigated whether implementation of transition planning was associated with decreased dropout rates for youth with disabilities and whether the format…

This document is a formal analysis of and report on the House of Representative's Bill 2313, the School Dropout Demonstration Amendments; the Bill amends the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Act of 1988, but authorizes continued funding for the original 1988 legislation, which established funding for dropout prevention programs, reentry…

The purpose of this brief report is to highlight information about disabled youth in relation to the second of six National Education goals proposed by the President and the Governors in 1990. The second goal states that "By the year 2000, the high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent." A grade of…

This paper examines existing research regarding the problem of school dropouts. It examines the historical context of the problem and discusses current definitions and methods for identifying dropout characteristics and computing dropout rates. Few incentives exist for accurate record-keeping on dropouts. School finances are often linked to…

In 1988, the United States Congress passed legislation that created the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program (SDDAP). The program provides funding for local educational agencies, community-based organizations, and educational partnerships to establish effective programs. This report, the second of two volumes, presents statistical data…

Tools and methods designed to assist colleges in analyzing and managing student attrition are described in this manual. The proposed strategies are intended to help the individual college identify patterns and causes of attrition and to establish reasonable goals and means for reducing attrition. The manual consists of five parts. Part I provides…

A consortium program of eight private colleges in Southern California that focuses on student retention efforts is described. Each college has a retention task force consisting of faculty, administrators, student affairs staff, and students. A steering committee with one representative from each college, generally the dean of students, coordinates…

This document examines three studies that explored additional support, retention, and guidance in England's urban colleges. The foreword and summary discuss the mission, focus, and results of each study. "Funding and Tracking Additional Support in Basic Skills and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)" (Liz Lawson, Philida…