The U.S. Department of Education's (ED) National Center for Education Statistics defines dropouts as "16- through 21-year-olds who are not enrolled in school and have not earned a high school credential (either a diploma or an equivalency credential such as a General Education Development (GED) certificate)." According to the feds, the…

"Exito" means "success" in Spanish, so it is a fitting name for a dropout prevention program. Set in a large neighborhood high school in a low-income, largely Latino section of Philadelphia, Exito supports ninth- and tenth-grade students who are at risk of dropping out of school by providing them with afterschool programming…

The merits of a public campaign can rarely be gauged fully in its early months or even in its initial year. Rather, the true measures of a campaign's successes are revealed over time: in its ongoing impacts on opinion or policy, and on the tangible results it achieves. On both accounts, Philadelphia's Project U-Turn campaign continues to make…

Many states and districts across the country struggle with designing and implementing coherent dropout prevention initiatives that promote academic advancement, especially for special needs students, who drop out at much higher rates than the general student population. This "snapshot" describes New Hampshire's innovative use of data…

Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) is an independent, non-profit organization with a vision for schools that work for all children. It partnered with Coca-Cola in 1984 and began a dropout prevention program just as it was conducting the first comprehensive study of school dropouts in Texas. Its annual studies since then have…

This paper provides information on dropouts and dropout prevention in Cleveland public schools. It is divided into five sections, which provide, respectively: (1) brief descriptions of nine prevention programs; (2) an operational definition of dropouts; (3) 1984-85 dropout data (by cohort survival in Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, at the city level…

Discusses high school dropout rate, the reasons students give for dropping out, and the economic value of the General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Describes efforts to prevent dropouts among at-risk students or to offer dropouts another chance to succeed in school such as the Champion Charter School in Brockton, Massachusetts. (PKP)

Describes a program developed to help would-be dropouts at the junior and senior high school level. Two important components of the program are that staff work with no more than two students at a time and that staff members volunteer to take part in the program. (MD)

Georgia's drop-out rate is among the highest in the nation. Relying on statistics to design programs can be misleading. An in-depth study of South Georgia high schools shows the importance of developing drop-out programs for specific situations and students. The six schools helping to develop "Danny Dropout" and "Pine County High…

Many school district leaders, high school administrators, and teachers--particularly those in urban areas--have struggled to reduce high school dropout rates but find themselves overwhelmed by the dimensions of the problem. Consider: Research has shown that lack of preparation in elementary and middle school, long before students reach high…

This report contains detailed descriptions of three program recommendations regarding public school choice. The recommendations are a result of a study conducted by the New Jersey Department of Education, in which public school choice and magnet schools were examined. The three recommended programs described are (1) Intradistrict Choice Program;…

The factors that contribute to student dropouts have been the focus of extensive deliberation during the last decade. Despite expanded attention, the number of dropouts remains unacceptably high. Drawing on the authors' 17-year history of dropout research in Texas, Arizona, and across the country, this article describes the alarming dropout rates,…

This report summarizes the results of a large-scale study of the dropout problem in Texas. The report is divided into three major sections which deal with these questions, respectively: (1) What is the magnitude of the dropout problem in Texas? (2) What is the economic impact of the dropout problem for Texas? and (3) What is the nature and…

While others form committees, do research, and write legislation to address the appalling Hispanic dropout problem, Joe Sandoval, principal of Denver's North High School, performs search-and-rescue missions to reclaim missing students. Recognizing economic realities, he and his staff visit students' homes with offers of academic help, flexible…

Members of the educational community are increasingly concerned that the dropout rate is too high. However, concerned educators and researchers do not agree who should be included in the data to determine the dropout rate. National definitions are needed so that accurate comparisons can be made. There is also a need to assess the effectiveness of…