Studies a sample of Mexican-American students identified as potential dropouts and finds drug use is widespread. Cigarettes, marijuana, and alcohol are used by the majority of students. "Social" drugs are used more often. Students do not think that general drug use causes social problems; however, girls' attitudes differ from boys'. (Author/BEF)

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify factors related to dropout/retention for distance education students in order to identify variables that might promote participation through completion. The major focus of the study was to document the distance education students' learning progress and to identify variables that relate to their…

Team Resources for Youth (TRY) is an agency which works with dropouts and students experiencing difficulty in school. To gain insight in dealing with local youth, TRY conducted an investigation of student attitudes at Caprock High School in Amarillo, Texas. One questionnaire was administered to 746 students and a second questionnaire was completed…

Dropout rates for Hispanic students are approximately twice those of white Anglo students. This paper reviews the literature on dropout and examines the effects of self-esteem, career and school expectations, family structure, and English language proficiency on the Hispanic youth's decision to drop out. A questionnaire was completed by 139…

Reducing absences is the most readily available strategy that high schools have for reducing the number of dropouts. A sample of approximately 2,000 students who entered three Oregon urban high schools in the Fall of 1983 or 1984 was studied in order to establish criteria for identifying students who were at-risk of not graduating. The group was…

This study examined college students' proneness to dropping out, focusing on student success in developmental mathematics. The study investigated whether or not three groups of college freshmen taking developmental mathematics (completers, grade C or better; nonsuccessful completers, grade D or F; and noncompleters, grade W) were significantly…

This manual provides a framework for formulating a game plan for retention of students in vocational training. The information is based on possible conflicts the students may encounter that would hinder the completion of vocational programs. The conflicts are categorized into personal conflicts, school-related conflicts, and other situations.…

An institutional attrition study showed certain reasons for dropping out cited by all students reemerging in analysis of subgroups. Financial and personal problems were most common, with unavailability of a desired major also common. However, individual differences also emerged, and strict adherence to a dropout profile is not recommended. (MSE)

Three groups of secondary school students were identified in the sample of over 7,000 high school students from the 1987/88 California Substance Use Survey based on patterns of involvement with alcohol and other drugs. Of primary interest are high risk users (HRUs) who engage in socially deplored and often dangerous forms of substance use. HRU…

The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of at-risk students and review certain circumstances that affect their decisions to leave or stay in school. Mail survey responses were collected from 272 students (out of a total of 300) in 15 rural Tennessee high schools. The subjects were identified by their guidance counselors as being…

The problem of early school leavers within a system that offers a wide range of vocational training at the secondary level is examined. Focus is on factors that influence a student to opt for a vocational program rather than remaining in a comprehensive high school or dropping out of school. By means of interviews and school attitude…

Examined is the success of Monash's Early Leavers' Scheme in terms of the performance, characteristics, and experience of successful applicants, and the manner in which the scheme has operated. The first section of the report provides background information on the establishment of the Scheme (to provide a modification to entry requirements for…

A review of literature from the early sixties to the present provides an understanding of problems posed by potential dropouts (disadvantaged learners) and some potential solutions to those problems. The first section describes who potential dropouts are and why they are disadvantaged; how they can be identified; some remedial projects already…

A study was conducted at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City to determine if minority students were at greater risk for dropping out, to explore student experiences, and to evaluate existing support services. The survey consisted of telephone interviews conducted with 431 Caucasian and 360 ethnic minority students enrolled at the graduate and…

The personal stories of young women who have either dropped out of school or are at risk of dropping out, reveal a complex set of perceptions, interpretations, and contradictions regarding the roles of race, gender, and class in their behavior and attitudes. A one-year research project was conducted in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) with 75 females,…