The national dropout rate has remained at about 20% for the last decade. However, disparities in the definition of dropouts and in data collection have caused national dropout figures to vary. Researchers agree that students from areas of large minority populations with fewer English-speaking students, and those living in poverty are at risk of…

Reviews dropout research and reanalyzes data from the High School and Beyond study of Hispanic students. Concludes that current dropout prevention programs are not effective with Hispanic students because many Hispanic dropouts do not fit the accepted stereotypes of at-risk students. (FMW)

Current efforts to encourage students to persist are not stemming the tide of drop-outs. Estimates of the high school dropout rate range from 10-30 percent (Hardy 2002). The impact of having no high school diploma causes these students to experience economic and social struggles throughout the time in life that should be their most productive. One…

The impact of academic programs--such as developmental mathematics programs--on student retention, has been a controversial topic for administrators, policy makers, and faculty in higher education. Despite deep interest in the effectiveness of these programs in retaining students, scholars have been unable to determine whether such programs have a…

Answers to questions most often asked about the second National Education Goal are provided in this document. Goal 2 states that "by the year 2000, the high school graduation rate will increase to 90 percent." Among the areas covered are school strategies to improve graduation rates, community and business roles, incentives to stay in…

This document is the result of an Institute for Educational Leadership conference convened to brief Congressional staff on dropouts, dropout programs, and what information about dropouts merits consideration by policymakers. This report is intended to be a readable account of the dropout problem appropriate for the general public as well as for…

Analyzes the effectiveness of widely used risk factors for identifying potential dropouts, using data from the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program. Findings indicate that most risk factors are not effective predictors of dropping out, and that dropout prevention programs often serve students who would not have dropped out and do not…

This literature review describes the major topics covered in the literature on school dropouts between 1988 and 1994, with special attention to the reasons why youth leave school. It analyzes recent literature on these topics, and links this literature to that on intervention programs meant to keep youth in school and prepare them for employment.…

The New York City Board of Education's 1984-85 Attendance Improvement/Dropout Prevention Program was less than a complete success. This report compares the least and most successful schools, analyzing the factors that determine success: (1) size, (2) cost, and (3) services. Successful programs were consistently smaller, serving a smaller portion…

Operation Success is a pilot project funded by the New York State Education Department to provide support services to high school dropouts and potential dropouts. It offers programs, including employment programs, intended to develop skills, self-awareness and self-direction, enourage career goals, and develop appropriate attitudes toward the…

This booklet addresses the difficulties of comparing and drawing meaning from dropout data prepared by different agencies, and examines the characteristics of students--and of schools--that place students at risk for leaving school prematurely. The booklet describes prevention programs and presents evidence on their effectiveness. It reviews…

A review of the literature related to the impact of vocational education on student retention determined that various types of vocational education programs and approaches have been successful in keeping students in school. Other research showed that vocational education played a role in student retention only when coupled with other components…

The Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) obtained federal grant funds for a school dropout demonstration assistance program, which began operating in 1988-89 as Project GRAD (Grant Research About Dropouts). Project components included the following: (1) piloting the use of dropout intervention specialists at 10 high schools; (2)…

Raising graduation rates for students attending schools in the United States is a national priority. As part of the No Child Left Behind Act, schools are required to track and report the percentage of students who graduate with a regular diploma in four years. The magnitude of the problem for student subgroups (including students of Hispanic and…

A 3.5-year study of dropout prevention programs in New York City public schools shows that current programs have been effective in increasing professional and public awareness of the dropout problem and providing needed support to some students. However, the categorical approach of most programs is inadequate, providing special services to only a…