Argues that an understanding of American ideals and democratic values should be part of high school minimum graduation competencies. (Author/SJL)

Survey results of a sampling of parents of vocational education students at a California high school are reported. Areas of interest included vocational information, vocational counseling, parents' perceptions of the need for vocational education, costs of these programs, high school graduation requirements, and the importance of particular…

After reviewing the history of commencement exercises, the author discusses areas that boards of education should address in setting policy on topics such as who can participate in graduation ceremonies. (IRT)

Describes the graduation exhibitions--a student-centered culminating project that each graduating student at the Greenwood Laboratory School in Springfield, Missouri, presented to an audience for review. Notes that the graduation requirement is intended to hold graduates accountable for their learning. (SR)

Found, based on data from 28 states, that there is scant evidence to support the proposition that high-stakes tests, including high-stakes high school graduation exams, increase student achievement. Also found that adoption of high-stakes testing policies leads to increased dropout rates, decreased graduation rates, and higher rates of younger…

Describes one high school's "senior project," a graduation requirement for all students which involves: (1) writing a research paper; (2) developing a project related to the paper; and (3) delivering an oral presentation to a panel of judges selected from faculty, administrators, classified staff, and community members. (MM)

Examines the experiences of New York State school districts that increased student participation between 1992 and 1996 in a statewide testing program. Increased participation rates were associated with modest declines in the percentage of passing students, unchanged dropout rates, similar spending patterns, and increased staffing levels. (MLH)

A 5-year study of 10th-12th graders in Texas compared participants in tech prep, non-tech prep career-technical education participants, and general education students. Tech prep students had higher attendance and lower dropout rates, slightly higher graduation rates, and increasing completion of college prep. Similar results for ethnic, at-risk,…

Used two national studies from the early 1990s to compare the likelihood of students earning high school diplomas among states that had adopted various approaches to performance accountability starting in 1993. Most sampled students who were 10th graders in 1990 earned high school diplomas, but the likelihood of this varied among states with…

While the Department of Education boasts lower of school dropout rates, graduation rates are also decreasing in some areas. Although the percentage of students graduating on time has remained unchanged, the percentage of noncompleters who eventually get a high school diploma (through a GED or alternative program) increases yearly. Inadequate…

Argues that middle and high school educators (as individuals and via their professional organizations) must create opportunities to influence decisions about the contents of high school exit tests, remembering that they have allies in parents and higher education officials. (SR)

National Collegiate Athletic Association data show that graduation rates for athletes have largely held steady from those of last year, but that male athletes, especially football and basketball players, continue to perform poorly in the classroom. In Division I, 42% of male basketball players and 48% of football players earned degrees within 6…

Describes how after a one-year decline, the number of Ph.D.s awarded by American universities rebounded in 2000; the biggest drops were in the physical sciences and education, while humanities fields gained. Includes several data tables. (EV)

Using five different data sets, this study explores the bidirectional relationship between standardized tests and various indicators of success. Examining student success on a variety of indicators such as cumulative grade point average and graduation rates, the study demonstrates the limited usefulness of such tests, particularly when the data…

Used longitudinal data from the National Survey of Children to examine factors explaining the higher school dropout and lower high school graduation rates in socioeconomically distressed communities. Results suggest that educational performance of peers is a key mechanism linking neighborhood disadvantage to youth educational attainment. Some of…