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…

The purpose of this program evaluation was to evaluate the impact of CORE District's Breakthrough Success Community (BTSC) Program at an urban Title I high school located in Southern California. BTSC aims to improve the ninth-grade experience through a focus on five key change drivers and the implementation of improvement science. Through teacher…

While high school graduation rates are on the rise nationwide, too many students still never reach that milestone, with 7,000 on average dropping out every day. Recognizing that many students need additional support to succeed in school, Communities In Schools (CIS) works to provide and connect students with integrated support services to keep…

In "a treatment effectiveness trial", a program is evaluated in a real-world setting, with an emphasis on achieving high implementation fidelity. Through fidelity assessment, the link between program implementation and outcomes is systematically evaluated and ultimately leads to a greater understanding of program success or failure. This paper…

Using a randomized two group pre-test/post-test research design, the study found that (1) significant results occurred on those variables measuring levels of vocational maturity, days of school attendance, and numbers of disciplinary referrals and (2) non-significant results occurred on those variables measuring proportions of students dropping…

A project to provide in-school work experiences for 14 and 15 year old junior high school students was conducted for the purpose of: (1) encouraging them to remain in school after the age of 16, (2) improving their school attendance and scholastic achievement, (3) providing opportunities for growth in the ability to work and explore aspects of the…

To evaluate the effectiveness of a commuter job corps program, evaluation data were obtained from participants, instructors, administrators, and a control group. Designed specifically for high school dropouts and run in conjunction with the local school districts, this program was evaluated in terms of (1) student retention, (2) return-to-school…

This report describes an evaluation of Project Success, a dropout prevention program at Crockett High School in Austin (Texas). The class centered program provided incentives for improved educational performance and attendance of at-risk ninth-grade students in the 1990-91 school year. The project served 103 students over the fall 1990 and spring…

Comprehensive evaluations of two dropout prevention/reentry demonstration programs, sponsored by the Department of Education, one funded under the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program (SDDAP) and one funded under the Cooperative Demonstration Program (CDP), are provided in this paper. Both programs were designed to demonstrate effective…

In 1979 a program was initiated at the Georges Valley High School in Thomaston, Maine, to identify high risk students who would be likely to drop out of high school and then to design and implement a program for ninth grade students that would motivate them to stay in school. A subsequent review of the impact of the program on its participants…

The goal of the FOCUS project is the development and implementation of an alternative school program for high school students which will provide relevant opportunities for student growth, both personal and academic, and thereby reduce the number of dropouts, academic failures, and pupil indifference and disenchantment. Part I of the document deals…

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…

This is the final 1982-1983 evaluation of Upward Reach, a project in Cleveland's 12 high schools that provides educational, vocational, and behavioral counseling to students who are identified as potential dropouts or who are returned to school from court agencies. Twelve fulltime counselor aides provide students with individual counseling…

This study used the cohort method to determine the status of students who participated in the high school Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) Program in 1985-86, one year later as of June 30, 1987. Among the findings are the following: (1) 41.3 percent had dropped out of school; (2) 7.2 percent had graduated or passed a General…

The Employability Skills Program (ESP) at Edison High School was designed to serve 10th grade students who were considered to be potential dropouts because of basic skills deficiencies, poor attitudes toward school, or individual adjustment problems. The major student-related objectives of the project were to improve basic skills, improve…