It is often assumed that schools themselves play an important role in students not completing school. However, the literature is inconsistent on what school characteristics influence school leaving, and identified school effects may be spurious due to the absence, or poor measurement, of appropriate individual-level influences. The importance of…

A study was undertaken at College of the Canyons, in California, to determine the underlying reasons for student attrition. Questionnaires were mailed to all 2,511 students who had officially withdrawn from the college between fall 1992 and spring 1994. A total of 391 completed questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 16%. Results…

This paper uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to explore the effect of fertility on high school dropout, and differences in that effect by age at first birth. Fertility is conceptualized as a series of states: pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and motherhood. Pregnant students and mothers are much more likely to drop out…

National research suggests that 36% of full-time students enrolled in community and technical colleges and planning to stay in college for 2 or more years leave by the end of their first year and do not return to college over a 3-year period. While students' reasons for leaving are often unrelated to the college, the literature suggests that…

This report provides state summary tables and district reports of graduation rates, dropout rates, and suspension and expulsion rates. The Colorado graduation rate for the class of 1995 was 77.4%, a decrease of 1.4 percentage points from the rate reported for the class of 1994. Computation of this rate included the 53 alternative and second-chance…

This report reviews aggregate data for school districts in the Northwest region (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington), breaking down on-time high school completion data by percent Native American student enrollment. This focus on high school completion rather than dropout emphasizes student resiliency rather than failure. Findings…

This policy brief examines states' experiences and data regarding implementation of the transition planning mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It reports on a study which investigated whether implementation of transition planning was associated with decreased dropout rates for youth with disabilities and whether the format…

Trends in research on participation in adult education have reflected social changes, shifting from sociodemographic surveys toward emphasis on understanding motivation for participating. Participation has been studied primarily from the perspective of service providers, gathering data on participants or dropouts. Since the 1970s, researchers have…

A study examined the variables affecting individuals' decisions to discontinue attendance in or complete their adult basic education (ABE) program. The study sample consisted of 2,323 students enrolled in an ABE program through an urban community college in the Midwest over a 2-year period. Data were derived from student records and program…

This report presents findings on school leaving, part of a 5-year study on the transition of youth with disabilities from secondary school to early adulthood. Telephone interviews were conducted in 1987 with parents of approximately 8,000 youth (ages 13 to 21 and enrolled in special education in 1985-86) representing all 11 federal special…

This booklet addresses the difficulties of comparing and drawing meaning from dropout data prepared by different agencies, and examines the characteristics of students--and of schools--that place students at risk for leaving school prematurely. The booklet describes prevention programs and presents evidence on their effectiveness. It reviews…

A national stratified random sample of superintendents (N=432) responded to a 42-item questionnaire listing probable causes of students dropping out. They were asked to identify causes that they believe should be given high priority as well as those that had the necessary research foundation from which to develop significant intervention programs.…

A study examined the factors contributing to the nonreenrollment of 4-H Club members in Southeastern Florida. During the study, questionnaires were mailed to 364 4-H Club dropouts who were randomly selected from the total dropout population of 545 youth in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Based on data from the 139 usable instruments, the…

This study updates and adds to data presented in a March 1986 study on the dropout problem in Boston (Massachusetts) Public Schools. The current study has the following four major parts: (1) updates to student loss data for the entire 1985-86 school year; (2) demographic studies of dropouts for that period: analyses by gender, race, grade,…

Estimates of the current national dropout rate during grades 9-12 ranged between 25 percent and 30 percent. Studies were undertaken to determine the characteristics of dropouts; the consequences of dropping out of school; and associations between dropping out and specific curricula, including the occupational curriculum. Because of methodological…