Results of a process evaluation of dropout prevention programs in the Leon County (Florida) School District during the school year 1989-90 are presented. Altogether, 11 dropout programs were operationalized in that school year. The methodology used for developing a problem and benefit survey among teachers and administrators, the results of the…

This paper tested the hypothesis that certain cognitive, affective, and psychomotor variables were significant predictors of college persistence in the first few weeks of the freshman year. Data for the study involved 462 freshmen, with an average age of 18, who matriculated in the fall of 1997 at a public higher education institution; about 93…

The goals of this study of student outcomes were to find ways to better manage enrollments, husband teaching and administrative resources, reduce attrition, and better understand the needs and expectations of students. The study examined data for 2,262 first-time, associate degree-seeking students entering a mid-sized rural college in the…

This book provides a synthesis of wide-ranging research on student attrition at American colleges and universities and outlines actions that institutions can and should take to reduce attrition. The key to effective retention is shown to lie in a strong commitment to quality education and the building of a strong sense of inclusive educational and…

In 1990, a study was conducted at Snead State Junior College (SSJC) of students who were enrolled at the college in fall 1989 or winter 1990 but did not return in the subsequent quarter. Of 661 students identified as nonreturning, 489 were surveyed by telephone to determine their reasons for not returning. Demographic data on these students were…

This report summarizes the results of a statewide survey of nonreturning freshmen (n=621) at Maryland public 4-year campuses. The former students were asked about the factors that were most instrumental in their departure from their institution, their reaction to their college experience, their likelihood of re-enrolling, and their level of…

The Michigan Student Information System (MiSIS) is the student flow component of the Michigan Community College Occupational Education Evaluation System (MCCOEES), a comprehensive state-wide system for evaluating occupational education. The Michigan Student Information System (MiSIS) Activities Manual was designed to help college-level personnel…

Youth labor market successes and problems have roots in young people's childhood experiences. The many components of basic skills and employability skills are acquired through the educational process. Each skill has its counterpart in the expected outcomes of young people's education. Data in labor market research can be interpreted as empirical…

Specific access and retention studies and programs focused on minority students at the undergraduate level are reviewed, along with recent research on general retention efforts. General retention strategies concern: pre-enrollment, admissions, financial aid, orientation, academic programs, faculty-student interaction, counseling and advising,…

This paper updates available evidence on the costs to society associated with noncompletion of school by substantial numbers of American youth. The only comparable treatment of this topic was published in 1972 by Henry M. Levin. The findings of this earlier study are recast to account for current earnings projections and price levels, and for…

The 1980-1981 project sought to extend the dropout prediction methods used previously by using a broader sample and to examine the effectiveness of counseling in dropout prevention. Over 1,200 migrant students in 35 Texas Coastal Bend school districts completed a survey regarding school attitudes, family problems, school participation, financial…

A follow-up study of undergraduate student attrition at Indiana University is presented. It builds upon previous research on student attrition documenting high rates of attrition among Black and Hispanic undergraduates. It also builds upon the Conceptual Model of Black Student Attrition. One goal is to compare persisters and non-persisters within…

This report represents a synthesis of existing data on the basic skills of vocational students. An introduction provides background information, lists objectives, and describes the framework and methodology for the literature review and acquisition and analysis of four data bases: National Assessment of Education Progress, Supplemental…

Education should not be thought of as being confined within traditional, formal education, but as embracing all learning processes and activities. Formal and informal systems of learning have specific roles to play within the educational process, while maintaining close cooperative linkages with each other. In other words, education is a lifelong…

The conference summarized here brought together participants from 12 public school districts and 34 observers from government agencies, foundations and community organizations. The attendees addressed the concern that the reform agenda of American public schooling is insufficiently sensitive to needy children who have dropped out of school or who…