Examines five shibboleths (common ideas) about the relationship between campus culture and student persistence. Describes a six-step approach for using the peer group and classroom as key elements in cultivating a success-oriented institutional culture. (Author/EV)

Theorizes about interrelations between "rites of passage" in Tinto's (1993) Student Integration Model, and support from significant others in Nora and Cabrera's (1996) Student Adjustment Model. Depicts how both sets of factors impact social and academic experiences and integration, commitment levels to attainment of an educational goal…

Although much is written about reasons why students drop out of online courses, little is said about what makes them stay. This article reports on an experiment whereby online students were exposed to a learning experience modelled on the US television series "Survivor." Twenty-four students were put into "tribes" and allowed…

This article describes a successful alternative school located in northwest Wyoming. Students who attend this school need an atmosphere that is accepting of their differences and allows them to express themselves without fear of ridicule or punishment. These children are looking for a safe, secure place to complete their education, a place where…

The 1997 Nebraska Legislature enacted Bill 806 to promote school consolidation, which legislators believed would lead schools to become more cost-efficient and provide a significantly larger curriculum. This legislative action begged the question: Has the move to consolidate schools made Nebraska schools more efficient while providing greater…

A central goal of U.S. social welfare policy is to ensure that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential as productive adults. Yet it is increasingly clear that where children live plays a central role in determining their life chances. This paper provides an overview of The Urban Institute's Program on Neighborhoods and…

The annual event dropout rate describes the proportion of students who leave school each year without completing a high school program. The event dropout rates for the school year 2006-2007 of 2.18% for grades 7 through 12th and 3.08% for grades 9 through 12th are consistent with the dropout rates for the past four years. The event completion rate…

The annual event dropout rate describes the proportion of students who leave school each year without completing a high school program. The event dropout rates for the school year 2007-2008 of 2.30% for grades 7 through 12th and 3.25% for grades 9 through 12th are consistent with the dropout rates for the past four years. The event completion rate…

All college students face new challenges and transitions, but for first-generation adult community college students, those challenges are more pervasive than those of their second-generation peers. The problem addressed is that first-generation adult community college students are at greater risk than their second-generation peers of dropping out…

Objective: To examine cognitive and psychosocial factors associated with high school dropout in urban adolescents with and without childhood ADHD. Method: In a longitudinal study, 49 adolescents/young adults with childhood ADHD and 44 controls who either dropped out or graduated from high school are included. Risk factors examined as potential…

Objective: Delineate a socio-demographic profile of multiparous teenage mothers at a public hospital in Brazil. Method: This is a cross-sectional study consisting of 915 interviews with teenage girls, including 170 multiparous subjects whose babies were born alive. Results: The multiparous teenage mothers had the following average characteristics:…

The story of the Dropout Prevention Initiative (DPI) of the New York City Schools illuminates the obstacles, incentives, and inventions that can come into play in a large city school system's effort to strengthen its effectiveness for at-risk students. The Board of Education commissioned an external evaluation of the DPI in 13 comprehensive high…

The at-risk students served by vocational education include academically disadvantaged students, dropouts, students with limited English proficiency (LEP), pregnant teens, single parents, migrants, economically disadvantaged students, handicapped students, and potential dropouts. The claim that the U.S. economy is healthy because unemployment is…

This directory was developed in response to requests for information on alternative programs for dropouts and potential dropouts. The scope of the dropout problem in Iowa is defined. Presented are definitions of dropout prevention alternative programs as well as a detailed account of useful prevention approaches. The directory includes needs…

A study analyzed the cost of the Career Intern Program (CIP). (The CIP is an alternative high school designed to enable disadvantaged and alienated dropouts or potential dropouts to earn regular high school diplomas, to prepare them for meaningful employment or postsecondary education, and to facilitate their transition from school to work by…