Examines patterns of drug use and other delinquent behaviors among students and school dropouts in six inner-city neighborhoods. Finds no correlation between substance use, delinquency, and dropping out, but does find that all dropouts were characterized by weak family support systems and social isolation. (FMW)

Results from a study of students from two high schools indicate that by using data from students' permanent records, dropouts could be differentiated with 66 percent accuracy in third grade and with 85 percent accuracy by ninth grade. School-attending nongraduates could be identified with 77 percent accuracy by ninth grade. (IAH)

Completion and performance data were examined from 92 junior high gifted students in a summer mathematics enrichment program. Variables significantly distinguishing between drop-outs and completers were instructor's rating of the student, parental occupation, and school year (seventh or eighth grade). Gender, ethnic group, school grade average,…

Reviews and critically examines research on academic programs for improving retention of at-risk minority college students. Recommends academic retention program designers incorporate effective instructional components and program evaluators implement better controlled research studies. (Author/ABL)

A two-year study of 57 nontraditional disadvantaged students in a preuniversity summer school found that success could not be predicted by family and educational background. Dropouts were less motivated and less suited to academic work and had poorer attitudes, whereas persisters were highly motivated and integrated into the institution. (SK)

Presents data on high school dropout in 1997, the year for which the most recent data are available, and includes time-series data on high school dropout and completion for the period 1972 through 1997. Examines the characteristics of dropouts and high school completers in 1997. (SLD)

This study used Tobit analysis to estimate retention probabilities and credit hours at two universities. Tobit was judged as appropriate for this problem because it recognizes the lower bound of zero on credit hours and incorporates this bound into parameter estimates and forecasts. Models are estimated for credit hours in a single year and…

Surveys of students who had prematurely left six institutions of higher education in England during 1994-1996 generated 2,151 responses. Six main factors, led by dissatisfaction with the quality of the student experience, contributed to their non-completion. Other factors included wrong choice of field of study, age, gender, and academic subject…

Discusses results of a survey of 148 off-campus students formerly enrolled in Deakin University (Australia) to assess factors that influenced their decisions to leave/withdraw. Implications of the findings for quality assurance in higher education and the development of more flexible modes of distance education are suggested. (Author/LRW)

Discusses empirical studies conducted between 1950 and 1970 examining the relations between psychological characteristics of students and subsequent high school dropout. Results clarified some methodological requirements for research on school completion and suggested that social and emotional variables explain some of the variance in school…

This grounded theory study was designed to investigate the factors that influenced 20 "traditional" university freshmen to withdraw prior to the end of their first year at two Midwestern universities. A two-hour audio-taped interview was conducted with each of the participants, and the grounded theory method was utilized to analyze the interview…

Background: Early school leaving and dropout are widely recognized as problems, leading to further marginalization and exclusion of young people from society at large. The Finnish government has set a target that, by the year 2008, 96% of those who complete compulsory education will continue without interruption in secondary education or in the…

While initial access to education is increasing in many countries, drop out rates continue to be high. This seriously affects MDG and EFA goals around educational access. This briefing paper looks at the issue of dropping out from school. It is based on the CREATE Pathways to Access Research Monograph, "Dropping out from school: a cross…

From the 3rd grade to the 11th grade, Jorge Martinez walked out of his front door each day hating the prospect of going to school. For most of those days, Martinez, now 17, was a target of bullies. But that was only half of it. There was discord at home. He says he was lazy and unmotivated, preferring to spend his time in front of the television,…

Initially, this study of the attrition of adult Maori students in a Tertiary Institute was undertaken to determine whether the factors in the literature explaining attrition/retention in tertiary institutions were relevant to Maori students and whether the literature covered all the factors. The main finding was that they mostly did apply.…