While the association between teenagers' work and academic performance continues to be debated in studies of adolescent employment, many researchers have found that "intensive" involvement in paid work increases the risk of high school dropout. It is still unclear, however, whether this relationship is spurious owing to preexisting differences in…

Discusses a study which investigated effects of student characteristics and measures of social and academic integration on voluntary college freshman withdrawal decisions. Findings indicated that student-faculty relationships were the most important factors influencing whether students remained in college. (Author/DB)

Investigated the relationship between dropping out of high school and substance use. Controlling for other important risk factors, the 1984 longitudinal survey data of people aged 19-27 indicated use of cigarettes, marijuana, and other illicit drugs increases the propensity to drop out and that the earlier the initiation into drugs the greater the…

This study examines how a teacher's race and behavior effects his ability to maintain high classroom attendance with black adult students. (Author/RM)

Examines the effects of state policy, sociodemographic composition, and school structure on high school dropout rates in 1980. Reports that total educational expenditures per students' average daily attendance is a significant determinant of school structure with indirect effect on dropout rates. Concludes that family structure is a critical…

Reveals findings of a longitudinal study concerning high school dropout rates among African-American students. Identifies a link between maternal educational attainment and the likelihood that a child will complete high school. Concludes that initially poor academic performance, aggressive behavior, and poverty increase the likelihood of…

Presents the results of a study that tracked the educational progress of a group of first graders from 1982 to 1996. Examines the children's personal qualities, first-grade experiences, and family circumstances as precursors to dropping out in high school. Identifies dropping out as a long-term process of disengagement. (MJP)

Reports on a study of 14,249 students to determine whether participation in specific extracurricular activities (athletics and fine arts) significantly reduces a student's likelihood of dropping out. Finds that, when all activities are examined, only athletic participation remains significantly related to dropping out. (ACM)

Tinto's model of college persistence/withdrawal, developed for residential colleges, is tested at a nonresidential institution. Results indicated that the concepts of person-environment fit, social integration, and institutional commitment operated differently in the commuter institution. A reconceptualized model for explaining…

Analyzes data from the "High School and Beyond" survey and presents significant findings concerning the relationship between working and dropping out of high school. Discovers that the type of employment and the student's gender significantly impact the drop out statistics. Discusses previous research and includes statistical and tabular…

Investigated how family processes influence high school student dropout behavior. Used a sample of 114 dropouts from 1 California high school, 48 of whom were matched to similarly profiled continuing students. Identified factors that explain students' dropout decisions: permissive parenting, negative parental reactions to grades, excessive…