Attempts to define the causes and implications of the failure of schools to educate fully a significant number of students from lower and middle class backgrounds and the failure of these students to absorb what the schools offer. Focuses on absenteeism and the dropout problem. Also examines past efforts to meet these problems in order to appraise…

The author considers the effect of raising school standards on the dropout rate. Research related to dropout prevention programs is reviewed in order to identify charactertistics of effective programs. The West German system of early student differentiation is examined. (MT)

Reviews findings on factors that predict dropping out and relates these to recent recommendations for raising school standards. Identifies the adverse effects these standards might have on potential dropouts and discusses some ways of circumventing the negative consequences. Proposes an agenda for simultaneously raising standards and addressing…

Examines dropouts from U.S. high schools, with particular attention to gender, social class, and race/ethnicity. Considers dropping out as a critique of education and labor market conditions and looks at the portrayal of dropouts in the popular, social science, and teacher preparation literature. Examines a group of dropouts in New York City.(CMG)

The construct validity for potential high school dropouts (N=252) of Holland's theory of vocational choice as measured by the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) was studied. Results indicate Holland's theory is appropriate for potential high school dropouts and by implication, for other high school students. (Author)

This report outlines strategies, developed by a state-legislative committee, for reducing the dropout rate in Colorado. The committee also investigated alternative methods of completing a high-school education program and ways of stressing the importance of education to Colorado youth. To gather information, testimonies provided by students,…

The Village Polytechnic Movement consists of setting up training centers for the purpose of teaching locally-needed skills to primary school dropouts in rural Kenya. In addition to explaining the philosophy of the movement, the author comments upon its organization and future. (AG)

Why the dropout rate in apprenticeship programs is high, and ways to lower the rate and improve the programs. (MF)

Examines the zero-order relationship between academic status and high-school dropout, and whether the percentage of dropout increases after the variable of social involvement is introduced. (DM)

Dropouts were interviewed and the results are tabulated. (SP)

The finding of intellectual differences among the subgroups examined demonstrates the importance of scholastic records in studies of attrition. Also, students persisting to graduation have somewhat different personal needs from students of similar ability who choose to withdraw. (Author/CG)

Describes a program designed for students with low ability which has resulted in the student dropout rate de-escalating from 20 percent to nine and one-half percent. (DM)

Discusses factors which lead to attrition from adult distance learning courses. Learning barriers included situational, institutional, dispositional, and epistemological factors. Comparisons between persisters and withdrawals are presented, and the study's impact on future distance learning programs is discussed. (Contains 26 references.) (SLW)

Examines the impact of violence on high school dropouts in their relationships with peers, family, teachers, and school structure. The resistance to school and violence in schools are seen as the result of schools' and society's resistance to dealing with diversity and the impact of various types of violence inherent in this resistance. (MMU)

This paper describes a methodology for the evaluation of dropout prevention programs, for calculating dropout rates, and for comparing alternative programs equitably. A first step involves developing a hierarchy of criteria for evaluating programs. These criteria are used to obtain dropout risk probability for individuals and groups and types of…