Background: Education plays a pivotal role in empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills needed for careers, economic progress, and societal engagement. Dropping out of school before achieving a qualification undermines these opportunities and has an impact on individuals and society (Audit Commission, 2010; OECD, 2023). International…

This document is a compilation of the presentations made at the 1970 National Exemplary Institute, a conference designed to serve as a guide for exemplary projects being undertaken across the country. Presentations included in the document are: (1) "The Characteristics of This Changing Age in Our Vocational Education" by Luis Morton, (2) "The Role…

Describes the Cooperative Alternative Program (CAP), Coleman (Texas), an example of the way a rural high school for at-risk students has established a sense of community while improving the achievement of its rural students. This case study shows how CAP faced its economic and collaborative challenges. (SLD)

The Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) program in New York City identifies and delivers services to middle school students who are excessively absent or otherwise at risk of dropping out. The AIDP program has the following components: (1) facilitation; (2) attendance; (3) guidance; (4) health; (5) school-level linkages; and (6)…

The City of Austin (Texas) provided funds for a supplementary educational activity to involve at-risk minority high school students in water quality issues. The program encourages at-risk students to remain in school by providing an interesting and authentic activity to use in the development of academic skills. Program activities included testing…

This document summarizes the literature on the causes of dropping out, reviews national dropout prevention initiatives, proposes a set of principles to guide dropout prevention programs, and recommends a framework of policies for the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Public Schools. The dropout literature indicates that dropping out is a developmental…

This report examines the following three aspects of Hispanic employment: (1) the consequences of leaving school without skills; (2) at-risk Hispanic youth as workers; and (3) the challenge of providing practical, rewarding jobs. Among the conclusions are the following: (1) several categories of at-risk Hispanic youth can receive long-range…

This document describes a program developed and implemented in three Philadelphia schools for the purpose of reducing the number of dropouts at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. A needs assessment of the three schools, a review of the related literature, and the objectives of the program are provided. Specific strategies…

On the average, 10 percent of District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) students--approximately 8,500 students--are absent from school each day. In order to combat truancy, which often leads to dropping out, DCPS developed the Truancy Prevention Plan, part of a Comprehensive Plan for School Attendance Improvement, which was implemented between…

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 report examines some of the many varieties of alternatives now available, their problems and pitfalls, and their hopes for the future. After defining alternative schools, the report discusses the rationale for having alternatives and then summarizes the range of alternatives available at both the elementary and secondary levels. Separate…

The Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) program was created to prevent at-risk students from low-income families from dropping out of high school. Students aged 14 or 15 years old entering 9th or 10th grade went to a college campus for 60 days during the summer to attend English and mathematics classes, work 20 hours per week, and receive…

A three-year project, Pathfinder has concluded its second year of providing community-based, on-site career experiences to young people who have left high school either as graduates or dropouts and who wish to explore careers within a framework of occupational clusters. During the year from September, 1977, to August, 1978, 172 students received…

This compilation contains executive summaries of 13 program evaluations conducted by the Office of Research and Evaluation of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) (Texas), as well as short summary reports on 3 programs. The following summaries are included: (1) "1991-92 Dropout Report"; (2) "Faculty/Staff Recruitment…