Efforts of the Career Intern Program (CIP) to help urban youth get a basic education and further training or a paying job, are described in this report, written for the educator or school board member interested in a program combining basic and career education for high school youth who are not succeeding in regular schools (dropouts or those…

This final report and curriculum guide are products of a project conducted to improve existing at-risk programs through cooperation between vocational and academic personnel by coordinating lesson plans. The following project activities are described: (1) a literature review on the diverse needs of at-risk students enrolled in an alternative to…

A study compared the Career Intern Program (CIP) with five other alternative youth programs. (The CIP is an alternative high school designed to enable disadvantaged dropouts or potential dropouts to earn regular high school diplomas, to prepare them for meaningful employment or postsecondary education, and to facilitate their transition from…

An in-class survey of a representative sample of 298 students was conducted by Merritt College in March 1979 to determine: (1) the approximate number of students who were considering withdrawal from college; (2) the approximate number who had given withdrawal serious consideration in the past; and (3) the factors which students felt were decisive…

The research literature on types of student retention, correlates of retention, and action strategies to improve retention is reviewed. Retention or student persistence can be assessed in terms of completion of a degree of certificate, a program but not a degree, or a term or course. Retention may also be persistence to attain a personal goal but…

This guide comprises a summary of the development of and materials for use in the implementation of a research-verified model training program to help high-risk students complete postsecondary education programs. Discussed first is the original pilot project that was implemented to serve the high-risk postsecondary vocational students entering the…

The National Commission on Secondary Vocational Education was formed in January 1984 to examine the role and function of secondary vocational education. During its deliberations, the commission addressed the following areas of concern: perceptions of vocational education, access, equity, curriculum, vocational education teacher recruitment and…

A study examined whether the Career Intern Program (CIP) can be replicated in new sites at reasonable cost within a reasonable period of time. (The CIP is an alternative high school designed to enable disadvantaged and alienated dropouts or potential dropouts to earn regular high school diplomas, to prepare them for meaningful employment or…

This module, the first in a three-volume series, deals with dropout prevention, and is organized in two parts: a trainer's manual and a participant's resource manual. It is designed for inservice training of teachers, counselors, and administrators in vocational schools. Addressed in the individual chapters of the trainer's module are the…

Since 1982, studies have shown statistical evidence that career and technical education (CTE) can play a role in reducing the number of high school dropouts, especially among students who are at high risk of dropping out. Case studies at several High Schools That Work sites showed improvements in retention and graduation at the same time that…