Every day, an estimated 2,500 students across the nation drop out of high school. In the last decade, approximately 30 percent of students who enrolled in high school have failed to graduate four years later. The situation is even more dismal for youth of color. In 2003, only 55 percent of African Americans and 53 percent of Hispanics graduated…

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…

It is important for educators to recognise that the various calls to decentre the subject--or self--should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring the removal of the subject altogether. Through the individualism of the Enlightenment the self was centred. This highly individualistic notion of the sovereign self has now been decentred especially…

State Education Agencies (SEAs) lead the charge for effective change, impact, and sustainability in the adoption and implementation of programs and practices that promote school completion. Steps taken by state and local education agencies to decrease dropout include (a) collection, analysis, and public reporting of "dropout" rates and related…

Recent research shows that variation in teacher quality has large effects on student performance. However, this research is based entirely on student test scores. Focusing on high-school math teachers, this paper evaluates teacher quality in terms of another educational outcome of great interest--graduation. I use a unique instrumental variables…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "From No Child Left Behind to Every Child a Graduate": New Alliance Report Outlines Policy Framework for…

This report examines current practices in defining, identifying, documenting, and tracking school dropouts in Ogden City School District (Utah), as well as demographic and personal characteristics of Ogden's high school dropouts. Data collection included a review of school and district records, interviews with administrators and staff, and…

This summary of a forum for migrant educators defines dropout issues, explores solutions and models of service, and offers recommendations to address the needs of out-of-school migrant youth. Notes from forum workshops and summary task force reports deal with dropout identification/needs assessment, dropout/enrollment/graduation data, interagency…

A 1-year research project was undertaken to discover how the arts could help keep at-risk high school students in school. The project was conducted in three phases. In phase 1, recent literature was reviewed to define criteria for the at-risk student and to identify implications for the arts in dropout prevention programs. Phase 2 consisted of…

This document analyzes the results of a follow-up study about specific factors that distinguish between students likely to drop out and those who stay in school and graduate. The dropout interview form, which was administered to dropouts in the original study, was revised and administered by counselors to 180 seniors who were in the lower four…

Helping reduce the dropout rate and improving the school attendance of high-risk students who were under court sanction to attend school was the focus of this practicum conducted in a rural community in the northeast region of Florida. The project was necessary because: (1) existing youth services handled individuals adjudicated as delinquent…

This document provides annotated listings of resources for state and local administrators of vocational special needs programs as well as special needs educators, counselors, researchers and others serving students at risk of dropping out of school. While it is not intended to be an exhaustive listing of all available resources, materials included…

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…

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972, the National Center for Education Statistics undertook a study of dropouts in higher education. Specifically, the study was designed to discover: (1) to what extent students withdraw from institutions of higher education before completion, and how these rates might…