Many educators, parents, and policymakers continue to call for reforms to the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), citing concern about the 10 percent of California students who do not graduate because of their failure to pass the test. By law, current funding for tutoring those at risk of failing the CAHSEE is targeted at those in grade 12…

Data from 257 students who passed or failed the National Council Licensure Examination were used to identify success/failure variables. Findings indicate that reasonably accurate predictive data on individual student performance is available at the end of the junior year, allowing faculty to begin interventions for at-risk students. (Author)

Evaluates children at-risk for reading failure as kindergartners and again as first graders. Suggests that lexical access ability is an important factor in reading acquisition and that different combinations of phonological processes may be related to different aspects of reading. (RS)

Academic failure and drinking are both problematic aspects of the adolescent stage of the life course, and the connection between these two behaviors can disrupt the basic functioning of individuals and schools. Drawing on theories of problem behavior from multiple disciplines, this study attempted to determine whether academic failure was a risk…

The ontogeny of school failure (SF) was studied by examining characteristics of 112 first graders, 63 of whom were considered at risk for SF. Measures of achievement, intelligence, behavior, language, and learning potential were used with cluster analysis. Development of SF was a more complex phenomenon than unitary factors suggested. (SLD)

Describes a follow-up study on student performance that investigated whether students' lack of success in an introductory psychology course was specific to the class or part of a general pattern of failure. Finds that 9.5% of the students did not finish the course successfully and that academic intervention did not help. Contains 14 references.…

Many studies have identified factors that contribute to success in economics principles courses, but few have examined the causes and effects of student drops and failure. The author follows 239 students through their economic principles course and tracks the students in the year after the course. The author constructs a model predicting student…

We conducted an archival study of at-risk students who had "stopped out" of college for many reasons (academic dismissal, financial problems, personal problems, etc.) and who later were accepted to return to school. Approximately 27% of the accepted students chose not to return. Those who returned had higher grade point averages, had completed…

A study assessed the effectiveness of various ways of identifying at-risk middle school students for participation in a dropout prevention program. It was considered important to explore factors related to identifying students who were most in need of the program. During the first semester of the project, teacher recommendations, attendance, age,…

Examined whether previous classroom grades were as useful as standardized test scores for identifying students likely to fail the Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Test. Analyzes letter grades received by 99 freshmen attending a small, rural high school. Classroom teachers' own grades proved as useful as standardized scores. (14 references) (MLH)

A survey of 7,848 seventh-, ninth-, and eleventh-grade students on high-risk behaviors found that student school experiences explained more variance than ethnicity. Low academic grades, observation and threat of violence, drug use, and perceived lack of adult and peer support were experiential factors associated with involvement in high-risk…

This paper identifies and assesses factors that may characterize students at risk of dropping out, based on a ninth grade class of Cincinnati (Ohio) public school students which was followed for five years, from 1984-85 to 1988-89. The paper aims to develop a quick, easy, and reliable method that teachers, counselors, and principals can use to…

This study explored possible predictors of failure to pass state proficiencies in English/Language Arts and Mathematics by more than 6,000 Indiana students in 2000-2002. Data explored included early test results, school attendance, grade point averages, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Predictors included early poor achievement,…

Examines variables used to predict the academic success or failure of college football players. Valid predictors include the following: (1) high school grades; (2) repeating a year in school; (3) feelings towards school; (4) discipline history; (5) mother's education; and (6) high school background. (FMW)

A study investigated the validity of six predictors of academic success after dismissal and reentry: grade point average (GPA) at dismissal, GPA at another school in the interim, composite college entrance examination score, semesters between dismissal and readmission, credits earned elsewhere after dismissal, and instructional level at dismissal.…