Richard Settersten and Barbara Ray examine the lengthening transition to adulthood over the past several decades, as well as the challenges the new schedule poses for young people, families, and society. The authors begin with a brief history of becoming an adult, noting that the schedule that youth follow to arrive at adulthood changes to meet…

"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) "The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education": U.S. Could Net $45 Billion Annually if One Year's Worth…

This study extends previous research on the social psychological implications of pubertal timing to education by applying a life course framework to data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and from the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study. Early pubertal timing, which has previously been associated with major…

Most high school teachers are concerned about the potential risk of student dropout, a phenomenon that has remained steady at approximately 14% since 1987 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2001). However, as Blackorby and Wagner (1996) note, the likelihood of high school dropout is significantly greater if a student is labeled as learning…

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a solution-focused, alternative school in preventing students from dropping out of high school. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest group design was used with 85 students to examine differences in credits earned, attendance, and graduation rates. Follow-up data on students in the experimental group were…

This paper dramatizes the complexity and the problems involved in calculating the rates of student dropouts from school. To compare the dropout formulas used by various agencies, states, and local school systems, responses from a national survey are presented and used to calculate a range of dropout rates for the Austin (Texas) public schools. By…

The study was designed to investigate selected variables of handicapped students who complete or drop out of vocational education programs by (1) describing the characteristics of handicapped students in vocational education programs and (2) analyzing variables which may contribute to discriminating between those students who complete all…

SUMMARIES OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION OF THE CULTURALLY DEPRIVED ARE PRESENTED. IN NEW YORK STATE, A COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL-PURPOSE ALLOTMENT OF FINANCIAL AID IS PROVIDED FOR CITY SCHOOLS. ALSO IN NEW YORK, PROGRAMS ARE BEING CONDUCTED THAT OFFER PREEMPLOYMENT INSTRUCTION FOR POTENTIAL DROPOUTS, THAT OFFER DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS…

THE OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT REENTRY, CONDUCTED DURING THE SUMMER OF 1963 AND 1964, WERE TO GUIDE POTENTIAL AND ACTUAL DROPOUTS BACK TO SECONDARY SCHOOL THROUGH COUNSELING AND TO PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR THOSE WHO RETURNED. STATISTICAL INFORMATION FOR NEW YORK STATE INDICATED THAT 953 ACTUAL AND 722 POTENTIAL DROPOUTS WERE CONTACTED…

EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS OF SCHOOL DROPOUTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. REASONS FOR DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL AS DETERMINED FROM TEACHERS, DROPOUTS, AND RECORDS INCLUDE LOW ACADEMIC APTITUDE, RETARDED EMOTIONAL MATURITY AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT, LACK OF INTEREST, ECONOMIC REASONS, AND MARRIAGE AND PREGNANCY. ON THE AVERAGE,…

THE POST-HIGH SCHOOL TRAINEE SHOULD BE A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE OR THE EQUIVALENT. A FAIR DEGREE OF PROFICIENCY IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE IS REQUIRED. IT IS REASONABLE TO EXPECT THE COMPLETION OF 2 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS AND 1 YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE. SOME BACKGROUND IN DRAFTING AND SHOP IS DESIRABLE. THE STUDENT SHOULD BE AVERAGE OR…

This report investigated whether withdrawees and continuers differed significantly (1) in occupational and educational status of parents, stated goals, and over-all GPA, or (2) on the basis of personal college experiences. A 2-part questionnaire, sent to 150 randomly selected entering freshmen, produced a return of 60%: 46 dropouts and 44…